The Perfect Weird Couple
by SoundzofSilence
Summary: An American transfers to Ouran on scholarship since the school accepts one scholarship student per year. She receives an unexpectedly warm greeting, but quickly she finds she is the middle of a tug of war- and she is the teddy.
1. Warm Welcome

Author's Guide: You MIGHT want to consider glancing over these phrases and stuff. Just a suggestion...

'_Thoughts_'

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

The yellow taxi cab sped away, leaving a large plume of dust in its wake. The person it recently ferried coughed, waving the dust away from her face before sneezing. When the dust had settled, she turned around and stared in awe at her new high school.

Ouran High School.

To say it was 'beautiful' would have been a gross understatement.

The lawns were endless, perfect, and a healthy shade of green while tall trees were strategically dotted on the campus. The light pink buildings reminded the American transfer of a church or monastery, one of the older churches. There even was a pond with lily pads and a fountain. Beautiful definitely did not do the campus justice; the word didn't even begin to cover it.

'_You've got to be freaking kidding me_,' the freshman thought, '_this_ can't _be a school! It looks like a medieval castle or palace!_'

Thin, delicate golden gates only separated her from the utopia...and the horde of students gazing at her, the horde that had literally appeared out of nowhere. In the blink of an eye.

She didn't move because of her exhaustion from hours of flight and severe jet lag. _'Ugh, new-kid jitters!'_

They didn't move because she hadn't. The two stared at each other, the wealthy Japanese students and the American freshman.

Conscious of the many eyes focused on her, the American realized how her attire differed from the sea of white undershirts, blue jackets, black ties, sable pants and shoes of the males and yellow dresses of the females. Her white sneakers felt passé and lumpy in comparison to the polished black Japanese ones. Her black baggy pants with chains dangling and many pockets felt all _too_ baggy. The pale pink shirt which had seemed so cute earlier that day felt inappropriate for the setting.

It only got worse. She decided to forego make up, her black jacket was currently unzipped, and her pregnant-looking backpack…she wouldn't even go there.

Two identical students with brownish-orange hair and brown eyes strode up to the shut golden gates that warded the American from the Japanese people.

'_Why did I come here again?_' a part of her mind whispered in terror, the part that feared stage fright and people staring.

'_I came to study and speak fluent Japanese,_' muttered the less confident bookworm.

"Welcome to…Ouran High School," greeted the twins in unison with phony smiles, throwing open the gates. The American was in awe of the fluency in which they spoke their native language.

"A-Arigatou," she thanked them, scurrying nervously past them.

All this unwanted attention was eerie. One would think they'd never seen an American before...then again, maybe they hadn't. But they were rich, right? Hadn't any of them traveled to America before? What was the big deal?

One of the students in the front –a tall blond with purple eyes and a handsome body—stepped forward with a smile the teen could tell was soap opera dramatic. "Greetings, fair, wild American hime." He took her hand and kissed it, purple eyes focused on her astonished face. "My name is Tamaki and I am king of the Host Club here at Ouran, rare scholarship student. You have exotic tastes." Tamaki released her hand. "Am I to know your name, fair maiden?"

Mentally noting to avoid this 'Tamaki-san', the faintly unnerved American mumbled something unintelligible while staring at Tamaki's black polished shoes. "Hm? Would you care to repeat that again?" When Tamaki lifted her head, his face was _awfully_ close to hers.

Geez, hadn't the Japanese ever heard of 'personal space'?

Rearing her head back, she automatically took a step back to distance herself from this young man who quickly advanced on her like a thief to a gem. "My name is-" The American stopped as everyone leaned in with anticipation and eagerness. "Good grief," she murmured to herself in her own language before saying louder in Japanese, "My name is Alexis."

A great cheer arose from the present student body. Alexis almost felt like a female Alexander the Great, but one that hadn't conquered anything. The private school, Ouran, was about pedigree, wealth, and wealthy people with too much free time. The only way for commoners or "poor people" to enroll was through scholarship like Alexis; Ouran only allowed one scholarship student per year. Apparently rich people were fascinated by those less fortunate as they, Alexis quickly discovered.

"Tamaki-san, why is everyone cheering?" Alexis whispered.

The blond smiled genially. "You are a hero, Alexis-chan!"

"A hero?" The female Alexander the Great feeling returned again, and she tried to imagine herself wearing the Greek hero's armor. Her imagination couldn't do it.

"You and Haruhi-kun" –Tamaki gestured toward a feminine-looking student with large doe brown eyes and equally brown hair wearing a male's uniform - "are the top students and yet are the poorest."

"That's because you rich people slack off," Alexis replied, rolling her eyes. "We commoners have to work our butts off to fulfill your star-high standards." A sweatdrop formed as she saw Tamaki huddled with his back turned to her and the twins began laughing.

"Th-that's not true…Is it Haruhi?" Tamaki gave the boy puppy eyes.

"It is," Haruhi responded flatly, sending Tamaki back to his depressed huddle.

Alexis smiled and shook the boy's hand enthusiastically. "Ouch, thank you."

Hold the phone.

'_His hands…everything is too feminine about him, even his voice. Is this the Haruhi I was told about?'_ Alexis mused. "Would you happen to be Haruhi Fujioka?"

The effeminate student blinked. "You know me?"

"I do now," Alexis grinned. "I've decided, Haruhi-san, that I like you. Not in an affectionate way, mind you, but perhaps as a friend if you wouldn't mind."

"I don't," shrugged the cross-dressing female.

"Sweetness."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Lunch had arrived and Alexis was nearly dead on her feet.

Possessions safely secured and locked in her 'exquisite' quarters, Alexis sat at the lunch table with her head down, eyes shut, unconcerned. The cafeteria was spacious. The tables were long and the benches were attached to the tables; the tables folded up in the middle. Every time she flew, jet lag was the result. It didn't help she hadn't slept in hours; Japan had about or a little over fourteen hours ahead of United States time.

Alexis had begun to drowse when a hand shook her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

'_Daijobu something …_' Her sleep-clouded mind grinded its wheels slowly, beginning to spin. '_That means 'are you alright?_'

"Hai." The foreign language began to come back to her. "I just need some sleep, that's all."

"Why not go to bed?" suggested the familiar voice of Haruhi.

"Tempting, but this is the only way to adjust to this time zone. I'll just grin and bear it until I can go to sleep at the same time you guys do," Alexis murmured sleepily, stretching and rubbing her eyes before she fell asleep. Remembering to speak in a different language was difficult, especially with her feverish mind; Alexis swore half of what she had just said had been in Japanese before it switched to English.

"Oh, school gets out at three," Haruhi informed the transfer, whose lower eyelid twitched with irritation. The American was conscious enough to notice when the twins, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, sat down on either side of their cross-dressing friend. She gazed at them, wondering which was Hikaru or Kaoru.

"Why are Alexis's eyes bloodshot?" began one of them, frowning.

"And her expression so empty?" finished the other, his countenance mirroring his brother's.

"Sleeplessness," replied Haruhi, opening her packed lunch. At the sight and close proximity of food, Alexis's stomach lurched and she suddenly felt violently ill.

"Now her face is green!" exclaimed a twin excitedly.

"Eh?" Haruhi glanced in alarm at the American. "Are you ill? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"Iie, _jet lag_," Alexis groaned, leaning her head on the table before protecting it with her arms. She recognized the word 'nurse' and that had been her only clue into what the three had been yammering about.

"Ouch," Hikaru or Kaoru said.

"Jet lag?" Haruhi repeated slowly, confused.

"When some people fly on airplanes, they get jet lag," explained one twin.

"Some don't get it, but those who do experience mild vertigo, exhaustion, and other problems," continued the other Hitachiin brother.

Alexis figured out Hikaru picked up on Koaru's explanation. "The reason is because Alexis's body is still in her time zone."

Haruhi blinked. "Nani?"

"Her mind knows it is day time and where she is, but her internal clock hasn't adjusted to Japan time yet because it is struggling to stay on American time," Kaoru informed. "By the way, how did you get your scholarship if Haruhi is first? Usually you would lose your scholarship."

"My father discussed that with the school board and they agreed that as long as Haruhi and I were first or second that we could keep our scholarships because there is no way we could tie for first. Even though I didn't know Haruhi, I didn't want her to get booted out of Ouran because of my selfishness," Alexis clarified, pinching her arm to remember the correct words in Japanese.

The three froze. "Her? Don't you mean 'him'?" Hikaru asked with a shaky laugh.

"Hai, _manly_ Haruhi," Kaoru backed up his brother uneasily.

"Haruhi is a _girl_. The school board already told me _her _true gender," snorted the American.

"That makes sense," Haruhi said without much concern, munching on rice.

Kaoru leaned forward and whispered, "Just keep her gender a secret."

Hikaru mimicked Kaoru's leaning position. "There's a reason she is a host, but we don't feel like explaining it to you right now in the middle of the cafeteria."

"Ah," Alexis nodded, rubbing one of her eyes.

"You really shouldn't push yourself," Kaoru offered after the twins exchanged a glance. "Go to the nurse."

"Where _is_ the nurse's office?" Alexis asked, propping up her head with her hand, and muttered in English, "I swear I'll never find my classes what with the campus being so dang big."

"It is in the basement," both twins answered at the same time, "of the north building at the innermost corridor."

"Uh…I can't tell directions," Alexis admitted sheepishly.

The doppelgangers pointed behind her. "That building."

"Arigatou."

The three Host Club members watched the American leave. Haruhi frowned at the twins. "The nurse's office isn't in the basement, guys."

"You are right, Haruhi," Kaoru smiled. "It isn't."

"But the Black Magic Clubroom is," Hikaru smirked as the brothers high-fived.

"Why did you two trick her?" Haruhi's eyebrows arched in surprise. '_The Black Magic Club has a clubroom?_'

"This is her punishment for knowing your gender," the deceitful doppelgangers shrugged.

"You should not punish someone for being informed!" Haruhi objected. "Can you imagine Alexis's reaction to such creepy people?"

The Hitachiin brothers chuckled wickedly. "Hai."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Translations for those who are con-fuzzled:

**Arigatou**- thank you

**Hime**- princess

**Daijobu desu ka?**- are you alright?

**Hai**- yes

**Iie**- no

**Nani/nano**- what?


	2. You've Got Mail!

Translations (trust me, you'll need them):

**Hai**- yes

**Kehki- **cake

**Haiyaku**- hurry

**Ima- now**

**Arigatou- thank you**

**Arigatou gozaimasu- thank you (polite)**

**Ohayoo gozaimasu- good morning (polite)**

**Konnichiwa- good afternoon/hello**

**Konbha/Konbawa: good night/sometimes good afternoon**

**Sensei- teacher (you should know this one!)**

O-o-O-o-O

My world began to spin as I swayed to the nurse's office, feverish. A wall caught my body before impact with the spick'n'span tiles. "Ugh…" I moaned softly to myself, momentarily succumbing to the vertigo.

I pushed off the wall, moving forward steadily for a few feet. "Must get there," I murmured with stubborn determination, "and then I can collapse, but I…have to get there…first. Whoa!" My legs wandered too close to the stairway before my whacked-out mind could get a good handle on my body's controls, resulting in a rather painful fall.

The world spun and spun, spun out of control, a cruel merry-go-round of sickening colors that blended together, crashing, quicker, quicker…

I could do nothing but lay still and pray silently that I wouldn't fall off the ride into the abysmal blackness of nothingness that eagerly awaited another victim, another soul. My eyes squeezed shut to blot out the nightmare before them. "Make it stop," I groaned, pushing my palms into my eye sockets, yet my world kept whirling. "Make it stop!"

Equilibrium won out in the end and I no longer felt as if I had sea legs or was walking the deck of a ship on rough seas. I sighed with relief. Logic advised me not to move too quickly if I wanted to get _anywhere_, especially not move my head which was the source of my temporary lack of coordination. With agonizing slowness, I managed to hoist myself into a standing position, appreciative of the wall's assistance. Now it was time to become independent of the wall.

One baby step at a time, I inched toward the next stairwell.

I felt like a zombie.

Finally, the double doors mercifully came into sight. Was it me or did the corridor seem particularly dark? And why did the doors give off an ominous aura? My head began clearing. My stomachache quickly dulled to a minimum along with my other symptoms. Wow, being so close to the nurse was spooking my sickness.

I slowly opened one of the sinister-looking doors—and found something I did not expect.

"Welcome to the Black Magic Club," several eerie voices, mostly male, greeted.

_Huh?_

My mind, clear, began musing, '_This isn't the nurse's_—' I froze in mid-thought as the scent of burning candles reached my nose. I breathed it in automatically. No good can come from having a brain freeze that isn't induced by cold. I stopped and clapped my hand over my nose, but the damage had been done.

My eyes widened in horror as time suddenly slowed before everything –the vertigo, nausea, stomachache, and fever—all ambushed me…_at the same time_.

I slumped against the wall suddenly, overwhelmed, one hand on my head, the other arm wrapped around my stomach. "Oh hell," I groaned. "Oh hell, I'm gonna be ill!" The overpowering fragrance of the burning candles continued to assault my acute senses relentlessly.

There were several gasps. "A curse is in effect!" one female announced over my long 'uuuugh!'s. "No one touch her or suffer the consequences of interfering with a curse!"

What the hell?

I curled into a ball, hugging my knees and rocking back and forth on the balls of my feet! My throat dried. I began coughing—a surefire sign of incoming vomit. My head jerked up and my eyes frantically searched for a container, a bin, a trash can…

I spotted a container-like thing and threw my body towards it, crawling hurriedly before it was too late.

And then the puke fest began.

O-o-O-o-O

The male nurse, Yuki, flipped the page of a definitely non-medical book. He leaned back in his chair, propping his legs on the desk before crossing them. Comfortable with this new position, he continued reading. Yuki hadn't gotten far into the second chapter before he felt an odd, hair-raising aura. Yuki glanced up and saw double doors he hadn't noticed before; he felt that was where the unpleasant sensation originated.

The doors creaked open slowly and a black-robed figure with a cat puppet on his hand emerged from the darkness. Following him, four other black-robed figures carried a litter bearing the American transfer (everyone knew about her). The American's hands were crossed over her chest and one hand held a white lily. It was a grim procession.

"Fufufufu," chuckled the leader who Yuki recognized as the President of the Black Magic Club. "This girl has been struck down by a critical sickness, but do not worry if she dies in your care. As you can see, we, the Black Magic Club, have prepared the American for death."

Yuki could barely repress a shiver. Creeps, all of them. "Th-that's very…considerate of you," the male nurse stammered, "but she needs the female nurse, Rita-chan, and she is out."

"All you need to do is watch her," one of the other robed figures shrugged. "We already took care of her."

"What methods did you use?" Yuki frowned. Had they tortured her into unconsciousness?

"We kept a cool, wet cloth on her forehead, gave her sips of herbal tea, and rubbed healing ointments on her skin," one of the other members of the Black Magic Club said coolly.

"What are her symptoms?"

"We don't know."

"Don't know?"

"She passed out after puking her guts up in President's backpack," informed the only female of the group, Kanazuki Reiko-Hime, mistress of curses.

Yuki rummaged for a pen and notepad. "Do you remember the names of the herbs or ointments you used?"

"Hai," answered the boy who was an expert on herbs, plants, and ointments. Immediately, the door to the nurse's office flew open and Haruhi barged in with an irritated expression, holding her wrist with Tamaki, Kaoru, Hikaru, Mori, Hunny, and finally Kyouya trailing after her.

"Please go to the hospital, Haruhi! Let the experts examine your wrist," begged Tamaki with a tearful expression, trying to stop Haruhi from reaching the male nurse.

"I'm _fine_, sempai!" Haruhi snapped. The Host Club halted, seeing Yuki and the Black Magic Club finally.

Tamaki hid behind Haruhi to protect himself from being cursed. "Wh-what are y-you d-doing here?" the blonde demanded in a frightened tone.

"Ah, Tamaki," Nekozawa purred with malicious glee. The cat puppet glared at the King of the Host Club. "We were only transporting Alexis-san here."

"How do you know about Alexis?" inquired the twins with raised eyebrows.

"Who doesn't?" a red-haired member of the Black Magic Club snorted.

"What's wrong with Lexi-chan?" Hunny asked, walking over to inspect the still body of said 'Lexi-chan.'

Yuki intervened and began taking the transfer student's temperature. "Because Alexis-san has not told me her symptoms, we can't be sure just yet" –the thermometer beeped—"but your friend has a fever. A rather high one. Can one of you inform the chairman and her father?" Tamaki was voted to go by the Host Club since he was the chairman's son, but he refused to leave Haruhi's side until her wrist was taken care of.

"Poor Lexi-chan!" Hunny exclaimed. "We should bake her a kehki! I wonder what type of cake she likes…marble, chocolate, buttermilk…and then there's orange! Carrot cake…lemon…black velvet…"

"I would like one of your kehkis, Haninozuka-senpai," Kanazuki said shyly. Both clubs knew that she liked Hunny, but it was difficult for Kanazuki to socialize or communicate. It didn't help she had only Hunny as a friend. From time to time, the mistress of curses would visit the Host Club or specifically, Hunny-senpai.

"You should come over later!" Hunny smiled up at her. "What is your favorite cake of the ones we've tried so far?" As the two polar opposites struck up conversation on food, Yuki finished looking over the cross-dressing female's wrist and proclaimed it was merely sprung, wrapping it with gauze. Nekozawa attempted to offer occult paraphernalia to Tamaki, who cowered behind 'Mom'. Of course the twins brought out their deadly spotlights of doom which sent Nekozawa dashing for cover and Tamaki scolding the devious doppelgangers about being cursed. A hostile war threatened to transpire when Mori said something amazing.

"She is awake."

Those three words caused both parties to freeze and glance at the American who they had completely dismissed upon meeting each other. They instantly herded around her, intent on even the slightest twitch. Alexis shivered and she breathed quickly, eyebrows furrowed. She murmured something unintelligible in English.

Yuki shook her shoulder. "Wake up," he said gently, "come on, wake up."

She did.

Alexis sat up with wide, terrified gray eyes as she shrieked something in her language. Only Kyouya, Haruhi, Tamaki, Kaoru, Kanuzuki, and Nekozawa understood what the American had screamed. "'I didn't study for the A.C.T. test'?" Kaoru repeated quizzically. "Why would she be concerned about a college test?"

"A.C.T. is a major test," Kyouya explained. "It is universally dreaded by the majority of students. If you were to compare it to one of our tests, the A.C.T. would be like the finals." Everyone except Kyouya and Haruhi shivered in understanding.

Alexis froze suddenly, wide gray eyes darting around uncertainly, and she spoke in panicked English. "Where am I? Who are you peo-nooooooo…" Her voice trailed off with a groan as her hand flew to her forehead and her eyes snapped shut.

"Ah! What's wrong?" Tamaki asked urgently. Everyone leaned forward with concern or anticipation. The blonde touched the side of the American's face before yelping, whipping his scorched hand back. "A fair maiden is in danger! Sh-she's burning up! Kyouya, call the hospital! Kaoru, Hikaru, you-AAHHHHHH!" Tamak jumped as he saw Nekozawa behind him.

A member of the Black Magic Club pushed his way through the Host Club and gently removed Alexis's hand from her forehead, placing his own hands on her cheeks. A vague hiss filled the air and the feverish American sighed. "I need wet cloths to lower her fever!" he barked. "_Haiyaku_!" Both clubs rushed about in a frenzy to retrieve what the medicine man of the Black Magic Club yelled out.

"Why are we helping, m'lord?" both twins asked Tamaki.

The blond passionately replied, "It is our duty to help and entertain women! This American is at her hour of greatest need! We gentlemen must assist!" The twins shrugged and went back to helping.

There silence as he offered a warm mug of bizarre-smelling supposed-to-be herbal tea to her. "Here," he whispered, mindful of her sensitive state, "drink this. It tastes better than it smells, but take small sips." Obediently, Alexis slowly downed the liquid, making faces after each sip. Had the situation been different, everyone might have laughed or snickered.

The medicine man of the Black Magic Club wiped the cool cloth across his patient's entire face. The American kept her eyes closed and motionless. Paramedics rushed into the room and both clubs parted, watching as they transported Alexis on a litter out the door.

"I hope she's alright," Hunny said, unknowingly voicing everyone's thoughts.

O-o-O-o-O

"I'm glad you're back," a random student told me in my first class. "Everyone is."

"I can tell." My desk overflowed with chocolate, get well cards, and some flowers, even a few sweets. It had been a rather shocking morning with people randomly hugging me or speaking to me as if they were old buddies of mine. The vertigo had gone after two weeks of torment, but unfortunately, astronomical hospital bills didn't go away so easily. My dad was peeved at the hospital about the bill, but glad I was feeling well enough to attend school.

A random female came up to me. "Alexis-san! It's nice to see you! I like your beautiful necklace."

"Arigatou!" I grinned, fingering my hypnotically pink heart-shaped necklace. If one were to describe it, the necklace was a magenta version of the _Titanic_ necklace but with a thicker chain. It had been given to me by one of my friends as a parting gift; the object had a sentimental value.

"Oh! Is that an invitation from the Host Club?" a female gasped and a hand pointed to a particularly cheesy-looking card. "Read it out loud!" Suddenly, it seemed more females had eagerly congregated around me.

"Uhm, okay," I agreed apathetically. Reading Japanese characters wasn't my strong point because they all looked alike, but I had improved during my stay in the hospital where I had been bored to tears and almost constantly tried to escape. I didn't know what a 'host club' was nor did I particularly care, but I humored the crowd. "It says: _You are formally invited to the Ouran High School Host Club Hospital today for free because you have inspired today's theme. We eagerly await your arrival on the top of the south building at the end of the north corridor in the Third Music Room at three o'clock."_

"Kyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" squealed and screamed practically every air-headed girl in the room, clapping their hands together and swooning. I plugged my ears, wondering what all the fuss was about.

So I asked. "What's so great about this Host Club?"

There was immediate dead silence as everyone, including the males, gaped at me. "Y-you don't…_know_?" gasped one of the girls, hand over her mouth.

"Know _what_?"

"The Host Club is one of the most popular clubs in the entire school," another Host Club fangirl pointed out as if it were plain as the sun in the sky. "They are the handsomest and some of the richest guys in this school! Their job is to entertain females. I can't believe you get to go for _free_."

"I've never heard of _anyone_ getting to go in for free," murmured a jealous dudette. Suddenly all the fangirls weren't so 'kya' about the invitation anymore and I swallowed nervously. If it came down to a fight, there were way more of them than there was of me. Fortunately, I was saved by the bell before any mauling could occur.

Everyone drifted to their seats, the girls reluctantly. I sifted through the flowers, cards, chocolates, and gifts on and around my desk. '_I'll look at all this stuff later._' I was piling and organizing everything together when the teacher entered the room.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu, class," the teacher greeted us loudly.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu, sensei," the class returned.

"Alexis-chan, although I am sure everyone appreciates the condition of your wellbeing, can you do something about the clutter around your workspace?" Oh yeah, I felt the love.

"Hai, sensei," I nodded. "May I please transfer these things to my locker?"

"Hai, ima. "

Now, from what I'd heard during prep back in America, Japanese schools normally didn't have lockers. Usually, it was the teachers who moved from class to class while the students stayed in the same room, but apparently, Ouran was the exception when it came to lockers. They were an _international_ private school for the wealthy.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," I smiled. I managed to take only one trip to my locker, but when I came back, I found someone had graffitied on the blank piece of paper I had taken out before leaving to take the stuff to my locker.

**"Stay away from the Host Club. Go back to America."**

O-o-O-o-O

I accumulated more mail throughout the day, both loving and spiteful. By lunch, my locker refused to allow anything else to be stuffed in it. I sighed at my predicament, a bundle of things in my arms while I gazed at the about-to-overflow locker. "Hm…" Extracting all the chocolates and food, I managed to fit the rest of my non-edible presents in my metal cubbyhole. I figured that since it was lunch and I brought nothing to eat, these sweets would be the substitute for real food today.

"Ah, Lexi-chan!" a cheerful young voice called.

I glanced in the direction to see a blond midget with large chocolate puppy eyes running toward me. He was adorable-looking...like a chibi. Trailing not too far off was a super tall silent figure with black hair and dark eyes watching the midget. "Konnichiwa," I greeted him. "You must be…Hunny. I've heard quite a bit about you, including your craving for sweets. Want to take some off my hands?"

Hunny amazed me by devouring a third of my edibles. "You want some too?" I offered to the obelisk-like figure guarding over the small Hunny.

"You can have some, Takashi," encouraged the annoyingly cheerful midget. Perhaps the sugar made Hunny act high…

Takashi or, Mori as I would later know him by, accepted only a smidgen of sweets in comparison to Hunny. I spent the lunch period with them, eating my gifts since I hadn't taken a lunch today. Because dad, or otou-san as I would need to start calling him to practice my Japanese, was low on money I began skipping lunch to start saving money. No, I was not going anorexic or a total fashion-oriented, consumer-driven nutcase who wanted to be rail thin. I seriously wanted to ease the pressure of debt on my otou-san because he didn't deserve the stress.

"Where is _your_ lunch, Lexi-chan?" Hunny asked out of the blue. He and Mori were eating curry rice which was thick, sweet and mild. To me, it looked like half a bowl of rice and half a bowl of pork, but upon closer inspection, I could see potatoes, carrots, onions, and pork. The dish appeared 'oishii' or delicious.

"I forgot it," I lied, biting off a chocolate rabbit's head. "That's why I'm eating this stuff." In truth, I was too poor to buy an expensive lunch at the prestigious school.

"Poor Lexi-chan," Hunny gasped in horror. I swear he looked like his eyes were going to overflow with tears; fortunately, I was immune to the Bambi eyes. "It's not good to eat sugar on an empty stomach. Have the rest of my curry!"

I was taken off guard by his generosity. Normally in America, one had to mooch or wait until someone didn't want their food to get it. Sometimes even beg, but just offering it because another person had no healthy food of their own... "Wow," I stared at Hunny, not bothering to disguise my shock. "A-Are you sure about that?"

Hunny nodded firmly and I took the half-eaten curry disbelievingly before blushing. "This may sound like a stupid question, but can you teach me how to use chopsticks?" I asked sheepishly, grabbing the bowl filled with curry and the spoon. "We don't use chopsticks where I come from."

"Hold them like this." It was the first time I heard Mori speak.

I stared at his hand blankly, and Hunny helpfully handed over a spare of pair chopsticks he kept handy for "emergencies". Then, holding the borrowed chopsticks awkwardly, I looked at my own hand, then Mori's, back at mine, and then his as I fiddled the chopsticks. "Like this?"

Mori adjusted them into the correct position which felt queer to my hands. I pushed my sugary edibles at Hunny. "Knock yourself out, kid," I told the midget who beamed at me. "Itadaikimasu!"

O-o-O-o-O

AN: Yay! Six pages full, well mostly, of writing! That's more material for you readers to enjoy. Please review or vote on the poll so I know if I should bother finishing this fic. I have a feeling it's going to be long.

**Kehki- **cake

**Haiyaku**- hurry

**Ima- now**

**Arigatou gozaimasu- thank you (polite)**

**Ohayoo gozaimasu- good morning (polite)**

**Oishii- delicious**

**Itadakimasu- thank you for the meal (before eating)**


	3. Of Cats, Robes, and Magic

It was nearly three o'clock and very shortly the Host Club would be open for business. Everyone began placing the finishing touches around the large music room. Haruhi, dressed as a male nurse outfit, came up to Kyouya who was dressed as a doctor, a question in mind.

"Kyouya-senpai, why are we dressed like this?" she asked.

"Because the American transfer is going to pay us a visit," he answered, not glancing up from his ever-present clipboard.

"What if she doesn't?"

"She will out of curiosity," Kyouya assured her confidently. "Today's hospital theme was inspired by her vertigo and jet lag. Alexis is popular because she is not only a peasant, but an American one; for some reason that gives her appeal and popularity. If we invite her to our club, our number of customers will increase and sales will go up. When she is no longer useful, we will fire her."

Haruhi sweat dropped. "Of course, I should have known."

O-o-O-o-O

A sea of yellow dresses and even a few guys in blue blazers hung out near the doors of the Third Music Room in anticipation of the hospital theme—and to see if the American would show up. Rumor had spread about the transfer receiving threats and warnings, but would that stop her?

The sound of heavy boots against tile turned heads.

The crowd's eyes twitched as they parted for a figure dressed in black. Dark brown, almost black hair pinned up in a messy bun, black eye shadow and lipstick, Alexis strode confidently forward with a slight smirk. She had purposely worn a black t-shirt, baggy black pants with black shoes to match. Today, Alexis had spontaneously decided to dress as a goth for the Host Club merely because she had this fondness with catching people off their guards and keeping situations interesting. What would life be without a little randomness? What would they think of her goth style?

Judging by what she had seen of the school, most students were preppies or jocks and only the Black Magic Club resembled anything remotely gothic, but they weren't hard core. Alexis smirked at the ranges of reactions she received from gaping mouths and staring to people backing against the walls. They probably thought she was possessed by some demon the Black Magic Club had summoned. The thought was amusing.

_Dong._

The clock rung once, loudly.

_Dong. _

Alexis reached the double doors of the Third Music Room with a contained smile.

_Dong._

The American shoved both open at once and a flash of white light engulfed her and the crowd. Red rose petals flitted through the doors and when the light dimmed down, everyone could see a hospital set up.

Handsome as always, Tamaki was dressed in navy scrubs with surgeon's gloves on. Kaoru and Hikaru both sported fake leg casts and leaned on crutches, grinning mischievously. Haruhi was dressed in sea green scrubs; Hunny wore baby blue scrubs while Mori wore maroon ones. Kyouya simply replaced his blue uniform jacket with a white lab coat and hung a stethoscope around his neck.

The room was decorated with medical beds, couches, small tables with lamps on them, and curtains ready to be drawn across any of the beds.

The Host Club stared at the gothic Alexis who strode in while looking around. "Wow, what an elaborate set-up. Brownie points for that."

"Excuse me," the twins both said at once. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"I'm a goth, can't you tell?" she smirked.

"Actually more like a female version of Nekozawa-sempai," Hikaru chortled.

"Or a witch," Kaoru finished with a cackle.

Alexis stuck her tongue out at the pair. "I'm a witch doctor so hush before I put a spell on you." Tamaki, having gotten over his shock at the bizarre fashion sense of the transfer gakusee, shivered at the mention of the word 'spell' and checked for any signs of the Black Magic Club President.

"That actually might not be a bad idea," Kyouya muttered, gazing at the darkly-clothed walking cash cow. He cleared his throat and announced to the females gathered in a line. "For today Alexis will be a female host, a witch doctor."

"What an excellent idea, Kyouya," Tamaki smiled charmingly. "Let's find her a costume."

Alexis eyed the members of the Host Club distrustfully. She may not have understood what had been said specifically but judging by the calculating looks pointed at her, it wasn't good. "Oh boy."

O-o-O-o-O

Alexis's POV

I slouched in one of the couches with my arms crossed. Fortunately there were no costumes that were my size; however, unfortunately, _somehow_, I ended up sitting across from two guys on an opposite couch who were gazing at me like one would an exotic animal at a zoo.

"So…" I began uncomfortably.

Silence.

One of the guys elbowed his buddy. "What are we supposed to ask her?"

"Uh…"

Silence.

"What's your favorite color?" the copper-haired dude suddenly asked.

"Um, red," I answered.

More silence.

I sighed, leaning my head against my hand. Wow, this was rather dull. How to strike up an interesting conversation?

'_Say the first thing that comes to mind_,' a helpful little voice whispered. The copper-haired guy beat me to the punch. "What is America like?" he asked, leaning his elbows on his knees as he stared at me.

"What do you mean?" I returned with an arched eyebrow. "The buildings? The people? Trends? School?"

"Er…" was the intelligent response.

"Why are you dressed like that?" the other male who had hazel eyes and spiky black hair interrupted. He gazed at me intensely and seemed like he would make a good punk or skater.

I shrugged. "I felt like being unpredictable and experimenting with my look. My friends in the states say it scares them. I guess they aren't used to me dressed in dark colors…or a perky goth."

"Why do you want to be unpredictable?" the hazel-eyed dude persisted, shifting into a more comfortable position on the couch. "You seem to crave being different, unique, and you just silently scream for attention."

I gave a wry smile. "Doesn't everybody?" I opened my mouth to say more but Kyouya appeared with his clipboard, announcing their time was up.

"You seem to be settling in now," the icy doctor commented casually, "but I've noticed your Japanese needs fine tuning."

I scowled, asking him in English, "Are you offering to tutor Japanese to me?"

"Why I should? I am a busy very person," Kyouya returned in English.

I immediately burst out laughing. "'Why I should? I am a busy very person.'" I mocked, gasping for air as I wiped a tearing eye. "Sounds like _your_ English needs some improvement, Rusty." After calming down, a suggestion presented itself. "Hey, I have a proposition. Would you care to hear it?"

"Would it stop you if I said no?"

I shrugged but continued anyway, "I teach you English in exchange for you teaching me Japanese."

"I could always hire a personal tutor of my own." Kyouya had reverted back to Japanese.

"Fine, be that way, but the problem with hiring someone is that money is going into their pocket," I smirked, knowing that Kyouya was a man of business and similar to Scrooge in at least one aspect: a miser. "Then again with the bargain I offered, no currency exchanges hands and we both benefit from it in the time to pass."

The raven-haired calculating Ohtori pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and I saw his onyx eyes for a moment. "It seems you can uphold a convincing argument," he stated with a slight smile. I didn't know if the smile was in my favor or not. "I will consider your offer."

I returned the smile and with light sarcasm, "You sure know how to bolster self-confidence." He said nothing, instead choosing to leave and usher my next customer over. _Finally_ I had a moment's peace and chose to let out a long relaxing sigh. My bun of hair became slightly more mussed up when I leaned the back of my head against the couch. My head turned to the left as I watched Tamaki.

It hadn't taken too long to figure out how _shallow_ and _empty_ the Host Club was. They made empty promises and took money from girls for sweet words and caresses. It turned my stomach to think I was even participating in this, but Kyouya had offered me money depending on how many guests I could successfully entertain. I needed the money to buy a uniform; despite how much I disliked the color of the dress because yellow washed out the color in my skin.

About as quickly, I discovered Tamaki was the heartthrob of the females. His suave charm and pick-up lines succeeded every single time but I never even saw any kissing, just close contact. His watery eyes and false pretense disgusted me and caused angry words to boil up in my mouth. However, I kept silent. Kyouya would leap at a chance to chain me to the club; yes, I knew the crowd I drew and that I was being used at the moment. Knowing Kyouya, it was probably why I was dubbed hostess for today which was purely for profit.

Irritated eyes skipping over Kyouya, I witnessed what some of my classmates call the 'twincest' act. A few of my friends back in the States would have loved the living yaoi, but I failed to see the attraction. One twin would tell a story about the other, then the former would retort with a crude comment, and they pulled off the act. I shivered and quickly switched to Hunny and Takas- I mean, Mori.

Yin and Yang.

Big and small, dark and light, morose and cheerful.

Mori quietly guarded Hunny with amazing devotion, barely saying anything or communicating with a nod. Hunny…I still found it difficult to believe he was a frickin' _senior_ especially with the way he acted; the blonde midget could easily pass for an elementary schooler. His chocolate watery puppy eyes, petite stature, and cute golden hair could bring out the maternal instinct in any female. Hunny just had this helpless aura about him; that's probably why he had Mori.

And there was my fellow commoner, Haruhi, who was in the same boat as I.

I had decided to follow in Haruhi's footsteps, and be myself after watching Tamaki and the twins, who pulled off outrageously dramatic acts which made them seem more like fairy tale characters than real people. I observed her the most carefully to see how she could attract so many customers even when masquerading as a dude. I guess the rich people were fascinated by what commoners normally did: chores, skin care, grocery store, 'peasant' games, etc.

My eyes finally rested on Kyouya.

Of everyone in the Host Club, I could easily relate myself to him.

In a classroom setting, Kyouya and I were quiet, serious, and hard-working students with excellent analytical skills. If we wanted something, we became sly, calculating, and manipulative for gain. When we were insulted our barbed tongues spewed wit and sarcasm, but in all situations, we were the Shadow monarchs, the overlooked ones. There was one difference: Kyouya had a business-politician-miser edge I did not. This edge made him cruel and heartless—something I knew I could never ever numb my heart enough to be.

Pseudo smile in place, I watched Kyouya Ohtori sell the club merchandise left and right with his honed skills that were perfected for the business world. And the air-headed twits bought just about anything he suggested from objects certain members used to a custom-made calendar.

People said Tamaki was the King of the Host Club, but they didn't know it was really the Shadow King, Kyouya, who ran the show and made everything function properly.

Kyouya caught me gazing at him from the corner of his eye and flashed a cold, menacing smirk at me. I rolled my eyes with a wry smile. '_Rich bastard knows I'm thinking about him._'

'_Still_,' I mused, lying on the couch with my hands over my stomach, '_this is like hearing my friends from the States gush over yaois- I fail to see the attraction…perhaps I should let one of the members work their charms on me and I'll figure it out._ _I'm sure Tamaki would be more than willing to try…he could probably charm a donkey._' I burst out laughing at this thought.

"_This_ is your witch doctor?" The weird voice was filled with such disbelief that my head turned.

"Disappointed, Nekozawa?" Kyouya inquired, standing beside a black-robed figure with a cat puppet on his hand. The stranger wore a greenish-black wig and had pale skin.

"I expected something more…" The wizardly figure tried to think of the correct word, "…authentic."

I smirked at this Nekozawa. "You seem to be _begging_ to be hexed. Apparently my charm must be working because you are already vexed." Nekozawa said nothing for a moment, regarding me in the silence.

"Not all spells rhyme," he finally whispered in that interesting voice of his.

My messy bun was falling apart and it bothered me. "Give me a minute," I said to Nekozawa, reaching up for the two pencils that held my hair up.

* * *

In the imaginations of all the hormonal men in the room except Nekozawa and Kyouya:

Her fair slender hand reached up slowly for the two pencils, and she pulled them out gently. Her feathery dark brown-almost-black hair floated down, curling smoothly around her neck and shoulders. Her hair softened the sharp angles of her face and the black she wore, bringing out her stunning gray luminous eyes and the relaxed smile on her dark magenta lips.

A thick lock of dark hair curtained one incandescent pewter eye, giving the American a seductive aura. Her empty hand went to her soft hair; her slender fingers weaved through the dark brown locks before slowly pulling away with strands of dark brown wrapped around each digit.

Such was the power of the witch doctor.

* * *

"Ugh, my hair is greasy," I murmured to myself in English too softly to be heard. "I need to take a shower today."

"What did you say?" Nekozawa implored.

"Oh, nothing."

And then something spontaneous burst out of my mouth.

"I love your robe."

Nekozawa stared at me in surprise. Kyouya's head went up from his clipboard, black eyebrows arched. In fact, the entire room was staring at me. Immediately my face turned bright red as I tried to correct my outburst. "I-I meant I liked the erm…_flowiness _of it. Yeah, it's loose and makes hypnotizing ripples when you move…yeah…"

Insert awkward silence.

Nekozawa smiled. "Arigatou gozaimasu."

"You're welcome," I mumbled, still red in the face. If I squinted hard enough, I could almost see my reflection in the tiles. "Your cat puppet is pretty cool too." More astonishment, more quiet. '_I did it again!_'

Nekozawa seemed pretty happy when I briefly glanced up before continuing my inspection of the tile. "His name is Bereznoff."

Forgetting my humiliation, I gazed at the cat puppet. It had a sheepish expression on its face and was rubbing the back of its head. "Why a feline?"

"My family worships cat idols and has for generations," Nekozawa explained, bringing Berenzoff closer to my face for me to see. "Although I must ask what a shadow like you is doing in such a bright light."

"I might ask the same, Nekozawa," I returned with a smirk, enjoying this conversation.

"Recruiting members for the Black Magic Club," he answered. "Are you interested?"

I scratched at my chin, pretending to think over it. "Perhaps…" I grinned.

Nekozawa leaned into my face so I could see his blue eyes past the greenish-black wig. "Should you wish or need to, visit us in the basement of the north building at the innermost corridor. We will be waiting." He leaned back and turned to leave, but the Shadow King's voice stopped him.

"You still have ten minutes left, Nekozawa," Kyouya informed the black-robed figure, scribbling something on his clipboard.

O-o-O-o-O

Yes, another chapter. Nekozawa has been properly introduced. Alexis and Kyouya are crossing swords, but who will truimph? Is Alexis making deals with the devil?

Translations:

**Gakusee**- student


	4. Pursuits at Parks

"Do you like Nekozawa-senpai?"

It was after customer-serving hours and now only the club members remained, but they all wanted to know what the Black Magic Club President and I had been talking about for the remaining ten minutes before his time was up.

I shrugged at Haruhi's question. "He's pretty cool, I guess."

Tamaki took this as a bad thing and flung himself at me. His hands captured mine and, tearful expression in place, begged, "Please don't go over to the dark side, Alexis. You will be cursed! They will ruin your reputation!"

I grinned and my eyes met with Kyouya's. "Maybe that's not such a bad thing…"

Tamaki gaped at me, backing away, while the Shadow King hurriedly scribbled a note on his clipboard. I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder and another wrap around my waist. "Why would you want to join that boorish club?" the twins snorted, and I felt the urge to squirm with their arms hanging on me.

"I never said I was joining," I frowned, "I said I would consider it."

"That's just as bad," one of the Hitachiin brothers commented. "They are a joke anyway."

The other brother shrugged. "The school is considering shutting down their club soon what with the poor income they make from their merchandise and how few members they have."

"If they don't do something before New Year's Eve," Kaoru and Hikaru said in the same creepy tone, "then the Black Magic Club will be _no more_."

"Wow, can a club really be shut down?" I breathed in horror.

"Look what happened to the Newspaper Club," Hikaru said.

"They wrote garbage in their papers and no one bought anything," Kaoru finished.

"Shouldn't you guys help the Black Magic Club?" I frowned, glancing at each member. "I mean, how would you guys like it if the Host Club were disbanded?" Tamaki got a sympathetic passionate look on his face, but the twins rushed to pop his fantasies of assisting one of their rivals.

"Our club won't be disbanded," Kyouya said with certainty.

"Obviously _not_," I retorted sarcastically before taking on a nicer tone, "but you have to place yourself in their shoes sometimes to understand why they do the things they do." Kyouya seemed slightly surprised by my slight outburst, but before I could continue a tug at my black shirt made me look down.

"Don't you like our club?" Hunny sniffled, eyes watering and holding his Usa-chan (bunny) in an irresistible fashion. This dirty trick aroused my usually latent maternal instincts.

I picked Hunny up, balancing him on my hip with one arm wrapped around his back as I wiped one of his eyes. "It's not that I don't like the Host Club," I said softly, "but that a group of friends are being split up and no one seems to care." I noticed Mori hovering closer than usual, alert. "Mori, relax. He's light and I _promise_ I will _not_ drop him." This earned me a small smile, but Mori kept watch.

Kyouya came up with a solution to prevent me from joining the Black Magic Club. "I will pay you to be a hostess," he offered.

"Speaking of paying, may I have my money now?" I asked him. Grudgingly, a healthy-looking amount of yen was given to me. Now I could move out of the school's abandoned third chemistry lab where I had been camping out for the past two and a half weeks. With this money I could rent an apartment room or buy that stupid uniform the annoying secretary had been nagging me to get when I had the money.

I smiled thankfully up at the Ohtori. "Arigatou!"

With that, I skipped out of the Third Music Room, an odd spectacle—a cheerful goth skipping down the halls.

O-o-O-o-O

I sat in the abandoned third chemistry lab finishing translating my homework to English when a knock on the door startled me. I froze in fear before sliding my backpack and homework into a cabinet quietly. The knock repeated again causing me to start badly and nearly knock over a chair that rested on top of a black long table. With all my things hidden in various places, I opened the door fearfully.

Kyouya stood there and I wasn't surprised he knew I would be here. He knew practically everything if he got access to your files or the information was fed to him. I eyed the Shadow King warily. "May I help you?"

"Yes, you may," he nodded, inviting himself into my temporary home. "We have some unfinished business to attend to. First, I would like to know why you are living in the third chemistry lab." He glanced over his shoulder at me.

"Is that not obvious?" I arched an eyebrow, speaking in English. "I have got nowhere else to go in terms of places to live. My dad's apartment is too far away and we do not have the money you rich people do."

"Living on school grounds is not allowed."

"I realize that. I might have to get a job."

"School rule number nine: taking a job is not allowed," Kyouya recited in my own language, crossing his arms.

I shrugged. "I will get money, one way or another," I began to hum a song in English, "_one way or another, I'm gonna find ya. I'm gonna getcha, getcha, getcha. One way or another_…gomen."

"This brings up our second point of business: the Host Club's offer to you to be a hostess and get paid. For every customer you successfully entertain, you will receive two hundred yen. You may quit at any time but only after the club has finished entertaining customers."

I kept a straight face, eyes boring into Kyouya's black ones. "And?"

"Since I have blackmail material on you, I won't need to pay you," he told me.

I glared at him. "Then I quit. Simple as that, Ohtori. No money, no pass go and collect two hundred dollars for you either."

"Finally, we have to arrange a schedule for the tutoring. Do you have a cell phone?"

"Iie," I answered shortly in Japanese, dashing off to a cupboard to search for the kitty calendar I had somewhere. Yes, I loved felines and called them all kitties whether they were kittens or full blown cats.

"I will buy you one and pay for it, but you will pay me back every cent," the Shadow King told me with a menacing smile, still speaking in English.

"Damn, I knew there was a catch," I scowled as I came back with the calendar. "What if I decide not to be a hostess?"

"What if the school finds out you've been living in here?" the evil Shadow King countered.

I glared at him and said scathingly, "_Fine_, I'll join but don't expect me to ecstatic about it. Blackmail and debt are your favorite chains aren't they?" I was pissed off that he had worked me into a corner and now I had lost my freedom to do what I wanted afterschool. Not only that, but any free time I had, I would be with _him_.

I had chained myself to the Shadow King.

Kyouya raised his eyebrows and leaned back slightly—the only signs of surprise. He ignored my comment, pushing up his glasses so that the dim lights reflected off of them and gave his glasses an evil-looking glint. "Hai, genki desu." He took my calendar and began marking dates and times for tutoring.

"Nani?"

"Hai, genki desu means 'good'."

"Oh." _'I thought it sounded familiar...'_

Kyouya gave me a phony sincere smile as he set my calendar on a table. "I'm glad you have decided to join us, Alexis."

"The pleasure is mine, _kono yaro_," I returned, arms crossed and refusing to look at him.

"I see you have already picked up some of the fouler language," he chuckled faintly before he left.

"Soo desu, baka ka," I verbally lashed at him. After Kyouya left, I waited five minutes before dropping the tough act. I slumped to the ground with my eyes beginning to water. That tense meeting with the Ohtori had begun to bring out the worst in me, including memories that were better left buried. I felt mentally drained from the intense battle of wills with that raven-haired beast.

"What have I done? There goes moving into an apartment or getting a blasted uniform to satisfy the nagging secretary lady." I sighed heavily, rubbing one of my tearing eyes. "Why? Why me? Why did my parents have to do that? Why is everyone so fascinated with me in Japan? There's nothing frickin' special about me! I'm as frickin' plain as frickin' porridge and…damn useless too."

I choked down my sorrow. "Why can't I ever get a moment of tranquility? Even to read a page of a book? Why won't the spotlight leave this shadow alone? _Why?_"

"_I kept everything inside and even though I tried/it all fell apart  
__What it meant to me/will eventually/be a memory/of a time when I tried so hard  
__And got so far  
__But in the end  
__It doesn't even matter  
__I had to fall  
__To lose it all  
__But in the end  
__It doesn't even matter…"  
__-Linkin Park_

O-o-O-o-O

Luckily, that had been Friday and today was Saturday. I had nothing to do, homework finished, having taken a shower in the girls' changing room under the gymnasium. Since everyone knew how badly the security stunk at Ouran, I decided to test that theory. I took the emergency exit stairs and strode out to the front golden gates. I climbed over them with ease and decided that the security did, indeed, suck.

But I would have been busted if the security _had _been good, so I didn't mind the lack of.

I pulled out a photocopy of the area around Ouran I'd gotten from one of the four huge libraries. I paused a moment to survey the weather. A bright sunny day with blue skies and a few clouds scattered here and there. Birds chirped and nature thrived, relishing the day.

"I think I'll check out this huge park," I told myself optimistically.

Surely rich brats didn't do such trivial things as play at parks.

O-o-O-o-O

"Kirimi," Kuretake, a female family servant of the Nekozawa family, called. "Kirimi, would you like to go to the park?"

"Iie," the little girl shook her head. "I want to hear more stories!"

"I'm terribly sorry, but I have no more to tell," Kuretake apologized to the girl as she frowned, "but why not play at the park? It is a gorgeous day with clear skies and singing birds. There is even a playground."

"Can brother come?" Kirimi asked eagerly.

"Your brother is preoccupied with his studies," Kadomatsu lied. He was also a Nekozawa family servant. The truth was Umehito Nekozawa had a terrible case of photophobia or fear of light. Five minutes in direct sunlight would cause him to pass out. He couldn't even bear to have a flashlight on him.

"But I like being with brother," Kirimi sniffled, glancing longingly up at the large portrait of a handsome blonde gentleman smiling gently with a cat puppet on his hand. Because Kirimi feared the dark and cats, the portrait hung on the wall was how Kirimi thought her brother looked. She wanted to spend time with him, but feared the dark he loved.

"I'm sure you will see him later," the maid, Kuretake, assured the little mistress. "Let's go to the park."

"Okay," Kirimi said unhappily with one last look at the portrait.

O-o-O-o-O

Kirimi bolted out of the car as soon as the engine had been switched off. She headed straight for the playground, thoughts still on her busy brother. It was silly how he watched her from around a corner thinking she didn't notice, but Kuretake had said that was because Umehito was shy.

Kirimi heard Kuretake and Kadomatsu yelling for her to stop, but she ignored them. The butler and maid would catch up eventually. Kirimi wanted to go on the swings.

She skidded to a halt when she saw someone was sitting on the swings.

This someone was a female with layered dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders. She wore a maroon t-shirt that said something not Japanese in curly white words. The swing-stealer wore black khaki shorts and white shoes. No jewelry, no make-up.

"Gariben," Kirimi told herself. Although there were two more swings, they were on either side of the stranger and Kirimi didn't want to approach this foreigner alone. She could now hear the footfalls of Kuretake and Kadomatsu. They would help her get rid of the stranger.

The girl swung back and forth, higher and higher into the air with a look of peace and ecstasy on her face. Her gray eyes glowed with fire and life. She laughed out loud. Kirimi watched this weird girl who laughed to herself swing. As the swing glided forward, the girl jumped from the swing.

Kirimi gasped as the girl hung in the air as time froze.

She envied the pure bliss and breathless expression on the foreigner's face as she floated to the ground. The girl landed hard on her feet but took off running, laughing joyously. The flying girl vanished into the woods, her laughter echoing.

"Wow," Kirimi gasped as Kuretake and Kadomatsu, huffing and puffing, arrived behind their little charge.

Kirimi took off after the flying girl much to the dismay of the maid and butler.

O-o-O-o-O

An adrenaline rush possessed me.

Wind surged through my hair and streamed past my body as I ran to the music playing in my ears courtesy of my red iPod shuffle. Jumping off the swing had seemed a foolish idea until I felt myself suspended in midair for what felt like five seconds but in reality was only one or two.

And then 'Sandstorm' by Darude had come on.

I loved loved _loved_ that song! I considered most of the songs I had to be 'hyper songs' because they induced a musical high in me, but 'Sandstorm' was the ultimate buzz. It was a running song in my opinion. The song began slow and quietly with hints of hyperness and then BAM! I compared the experience to downing an energy drink like Monster.

I panted, lungs burning but my legs refused to quit. I needed more speed, more velocity!

My brain switched on random and suddenly I found myself doing cartwheels on a grassy football field. Although I wasn't in the right state of mind at the moment, I wasn't crazy enough to attempt front or back flips. I ran and jumped from things until the song ended and I was utterly exhausted. Four whole minutes of madness.

I fell back on the autumn leaves in the woods amongst the trees with a satisfied, exhausted smile on my face, pocketing my iPod. '_There_,' I thought, feeling light-headed from dehydration. '_I've done my exercise for today and then I can filch some food from the cafeteria. After that I'll take a shower in the girls' changing room…_' I shut my eyes, planning the rest of my day.

"You're cr-crazy," a young girl's voice coughed, "f-fast, but cra-azy. Why were you d-doing all those jumps a-and cartwheels?"

My eyes flew open and I sat up. There was a little girl with honey-blonde hair done in two pigtails, a sweet face, and bulbous blue eyes wearing a white shirt and peach orange skirt. Even her shoes were matched and her socks had frills. She sat beside me, face flushed from running, and waiting for my answer.

"I-I heard a s-song I l-liked," I croaked in Japanese before clearing my parched throat, "i-it made me want t-to run…so I r-ran."

"W-Why would you d-do that?" she breathed.

"Some songs make y-you cry, some make you hap-py, others m-make you want t-to dance," I replied breathlessly. "A-Ask yourself: wh-why do people dance to music?" The Child of Many Questions had no answer to that which allowed me to catch my breath quicker.

"By the way, w-why did you follow me?" I suddenly asked, realizing that this kid's parents were probably tearing their hair out with worry.

"Come h-home with me!" she smiled brightly.

"Where are your parents?" I inquired further. This was rather…bizarre. A random girl follows me because she thinks I'm crazy and then tells me to go home with her. Hasn't she ever heard of stranger danger?

"On a business trip," she answered.

I frowned at the little adorable girl. To-die-for-cute munchkins like this didn't wander around alone and yet her parents are on a business trip. Who was watching this kid? My gray eyes widened. "Don't tell me you have a bodyguard or someone shadowing you," I said in alarm. In my mind, a burly bald dude wearing a black suit with sunglasses and an earpiece was cracking his knuckles.

"I don't have one bodyguard. I have two."

"WHAT?" I yelped automatically in English, scrambling to my feet. "Where?"

"They were right behind me," the scary kid said, glancing from the direction she had come from.

"Ahhhhh!" I took off running in the opposite direction. Yes, I felt wary about leaving the kid alone but she had frickin' _bodyguards_ who would think I was holding her against her will and then get the crap beaten out of me. Worse, it suddenly occurred to me that only rich brats had or could afford bodyguards.

I doubled my speed, bursting from the forest at a breakneck pace. No wonder the blonde girl was so bold and unafraid of strangers, she had damnable people guarding her and they probably had weapons!

"Matte!" I heard her small voice call from far behind.

Thinking she was in trouble, I skidded to a halt, kicking up grass. She was following me! Frick! I squeaked in terror, paling, as I saw a tall bald dude in a black suit with a scar running down the left side of his face. Not far behind was the female bodyguard in a maid's suit with her hair done in two pigtails. They were yelling, "Kirimi!" as they chased after the little blond girl who ignored them.

I hit the ground running for all I was worth, thinking only of not getting beaten to a bloody pulp. Away from the park, I ran on the sidewalks of the streets, heading for the commoner market to keep a low profile there for an hour. Then that rich man's daughter couldn't find me and neither would her bodyguards who were hot on her trail.

My day got even _better_.

I saw Kyouya Ohtori sitting in a black limousine with the window down, staring at me with disbelief. "Not _you_ too!" I yelled in my native language before sharply turning down a street to escape the Shadow King. As luck would have it, the street looped back to the park. Coming out of the street, I saw the little blonde girl crying by a black limo as the bodyguards tried and failed to comfort her. I skidded to a halt, dismay written on my face.

I prayed to God that she wouldn't see me.

The Devil got wind of my prayer first and the little girl happened to glance in my direction. She seemed surprised. I was about to pass out from dehydration and hyperventilation. If her bodyguards came after me, there was no way I would be able to pull off another run.

Her hand lifted, four fingers curling and leaving one index finger in a condemning pointing gesture.

"Get her!" the girl commanded.

The bald dude in the black tux and scar running down his face took one look at me and charged. I did the only thing I could do—screamed and ran like hell's hounds were after me.

O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: obviously I don't own Ouran High School Host Club if you haven't figured that out already.

I also do not own: 'In the End' by Linkin Park, 'Sandstorm' by Darude (LOVE THIS SONG!), but Alexis is mine.

**Hai, genki desu**- good

**Nani/nano**- what?

**Kono yaro**- bastard

**Soo desu**- that's right

**Baka ka**- asshole

**Gariben**- someone who studies too much; nerd


	5. Romeo and Juliet or Date with the Devil

I woke up in a dim room lit by a lamp…in a bed…under the covers…with an eager cute face with big blue eyes and a smile of anticipation really close to my eyes. "You…" I rasped in English, voice gone. I vaguely recalled running from a bald bodyguard and then being so tired that I simply collapsed, passing out shortly after.

"You're awake!" she exclaimed. "Now you can play with me! And tell me stories!"

The bizarre words in the shrill tone jarred my brain. _'Is she...speaking another language? Which language?'_

"Ssssh, Miss Kirimi," a soft female voice scolded. "This girl is probably disoriented. Let her wake up first, but she can't play with you just yet. She has to heal from dehydration."

Kirimi frowned down at me and then, to my surprise, said, "Okay. I'm glad we have her because we nearly lost her. Why _did_ you come back? Because you liked me?"

"I wasn't intending to come back," I muttered under my breath in English.

"Onamae wan nan desu ka?" Kirimi asked.

"Nani?" _'Crap, I should _know_ this one...I remember it from somewhere...it's not coming to me!'_

Even though she repeated the statement again, I still couldn't understand what she wanted. "What is she saying?" I asked the maid. "It's like she's trying to speak to me, I know it."

"Doko kara kimashita ka?" the maid inquired. Now _that_ I could understand; I'd been asked that a lot by the secretary when she made my school files and then my files had been misplaced, so she had to redo everything. She had said '_where do you come from?_'

"Eeego desu," I replied, stating that I was an English person.

"She asked 'what is your name?'" translated the helpful maid.

I answered that question too. "Alexis." I repeated the question back to my diminutive captive.

"Kirimi," she said, "Kirimi Nekozawa."

I did a double take. "_Nekozawa_?"

"Hai," Kirimi nodded enthusiastically.

"You're _his_ little sister," I gaped incredulously, getting the hang of Japanese again. "I thought he had _black_ hair!"

"That is his wig. Master Umehito wears the wig and cloak because he cannot stand the light so he remains in the shadows," explained the maid. "Five minutes in direct sunlight can cause him to lose consciousness."

"That explains the greasy-looking hair and never seeing Nekozawa outside," I murmured thoughtfully, "but why does he act so…" I trailed off, not wanting to insult Nekozawa or make him sound like a pervert especially in front of Kirimi, "…eccentric?"

"To understand that, I must explain the ancestry of the Nekozawa family," the female servant began. "They are ancestors of the Russian Tokarev Dynasty." --

"Are you sure you don't mean the Romanov Dynasty?" I interrupted.

"Hai, damatte-yo. According to legend, once every seven hundred years one charmed by darkness is born like Master Umehito, but this could be false. Miss Kirimi fears the dark while Master Umehito relishes it and vice versa. We say their relationship is tragic like that of Romeo and Juliet." --

"Romeo and Juliet weren't siblings," I blurted out automatically.

"It makes their relationship seem more romantic."

"Whatever. May I please have a glass of water…miss…I never learned your name," I said before taking a long sip.

"It's Kuretake," the maid responded.

I began squinting at shadows in vain as I looked for someone. "So, Kuretake, where is the other dude? The one that chased after me?"

"Kadomatsu? He is tending to Master Umehito."

"Is he a bodyguard?"

"No, he is a butler."

"WHAAAAAAAAT?!"

O-o-O-o-O

Nekozawa looked up from his ritual when he heard an indistinct screech of anger. "Kadomatsu, what was that?" he asked curiously. Surely that sound could not have been made by Kirimi. It didn't have her high-pitch to it; the shriek sounded more like a roar.

"I do not know, Master," he replied. "Would you like me to investigate?"

"Iie." Nekozawa stood. "I will."

He glided in the shadows quickly and quietly, black robes brushing soundlessly against the carpet. He was a wraith, the master of his realm of darkness. Umehito Nekozawa paused in the dim hallway, listening for a sound to follow. A door opened on the lighter side of the house and he ducked behind a pillar, watching as Kirimi ran out of the room with a smile on her face and as another female chased after his little sister, saying, "I'm going to get you!"

"Alexis-chan?" The robed figure whispered to himself. What was she doing here and why was she playing Tag with his sister?

Nekozawa stalked them wherever they went, envious of their laughter and the fun they were having. How he longed to join them, but to do so meant death by sunlight. Suddenly Kirimi and Alexis-chan stopped playing and Nekozawa edged closer to the pillar, afraid to be seen.

Alexis-chan's voice called out in English, "O Romeo, Romeo! Where art thou Romeo?"

The shadow froze. He knew of the Romeo and Juliet theory the maid and butler used to identify the relationship between him and his little sister.

"'Come, civil night/ Thou sober-suited matron, all in black.'"

He had been caught.

Alexis-chan was summoning him from his hiding place so Nekozawa slid away from the pillar, revealing himself.

O-o-O-o-O

"'Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night,'" I quoted in English from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I had noticed a shadow jumping behind objects out of the corner of my eye and assumed it was Nekozawa watching us but hesitant to approach. "'Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow'd night.'"

"Why are you saying those things?" Kirimi asked me, gazing up at me from our place near the top of the stairs. I caught sight of our stalker moving into the light or away from the pillar and smiled at him.

I glanced down at Kirimi and winked, gesturing toward her elder brother. I knew she wouldn't understand what the quote, but I said it anyway. "'Never was a story of woe/ Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.'"

Nekozawa stiffened under Kirimi's uncertain gaze. There the siblings stood, frozen in fear and indecision, in a world of their own. Neither said a word, neither moved. I silently stepped back to let them sort this out and I saw a large portrait of gargantuan size that took up nearly the whole wall.

My mouth fell open and my eyes widened.

"Whoa," I whispered in awe.

I could see why Kirimi wouldn't believe Nekozawa was her brother with that costume on. Before me loomed a prince with blonde hair reminding me of Tamaki. But, no! Tamaki had this energetic air to him while the young man in the portrait displayed a gentle and tender but sad aura. On his hand was the familiar Berenzoff.

I looked at Nekozawa of the present, then at the portrait, back at Nekozawa, and the picture. I kept glancing back and forth between the two with furrowed eyebrows, trying to see it in my mind, as Nekozawa sweat dropped.

"I know the resemblance is difficult to see," he mumbled as he gazed at the floor.

"I'm so jealous," I clicked my tongue, half talking to myself in English, half addressing Nekozawa. "You look cool both ways—stunning as a prince, devilish as a wizard-like figure. No fair." Nekozawa looked like he didn't know what the hell I was talking about.

"Lunch has been prepared," Kadomatsu announced, appearing out of nowhere behind me. I yelped and leapt away from him, the memory of being hunted down fresh in my mind. The butler's appearance remained imposing.

"Fufufufufu, you fear Kadomatsu?" Nekozawa's head leaned on my shoulder and Bereznoff smiled in my face. There was a creepy gleam in Nekozawa's eyes as he chuckled at my fear.

"Kadomatsu looks like he could work for the Secret Service!" I protested in Japanese, feeling uncomfortable with having a male in such close proximity. Although Nekozawa wasn't the type of guy to try something, my guard wasn't about to go down. "Besides, I need to get going."

"Noo!" Kirimi wailed, grappling onto one of my legs. "I like playing with you. Please don't go!"

I glanced nervously at Kadomatsu who had edged closer. "Erm, I think I would be imposing on you guys and your hospitality so I would rather not stay…unless you really wanted me to."

Kadomatsu knelt and reached for the little blonde preschooler. "Kirimi, Alexis-chan has to leave."

"She can be a maid," Kirimi kept babbling, refusing to release me. "Please let her be my maid. Kuretake and Kadomatsu would have more time to clean the house. Alexis-chan can play with me and read stories." Nekozawa and I were silent as Kirimi was yanked from my leg and carried away.

"Thank you for entertaining my sister in realms I cannot trespass," the robed figure said despondently in English.

I shook my head from side to side. "'Thank me no thankings, nor proud me no prouds.' What day is it again?"

"October first," Nekozawa answered.

"It still needs tons of refining, but time is against me," I murmured enigmatically as I left the Nekozawa household.

O-o-O-o-O

I found Kyouya in my homeroom standing near my desk. His eyes locked on me no sooner had I entered the class. Wordlessly, a cell phone was handed to me and Kyouya muttered so only I could hear, "Meet me in the reference section of the first library at lunch. Don't be late."

Fangirls eyed me jealously as Kyouya left and I pocketed the new cell phone. How would I hold up against the Shadow King in today's inevitable confrontation at lunch? "Curse you, Ohtori," I grumbled in English, sinking into my seat as class began. "Curse you and your inescapable machinations."

O-o-O-o-O

"You're late."

"_What_? By how many seconds?" I demanded in my native tongue, setting down my backpack on the carpet beside the table.

Kyouya glanced at his watch. "Two minutes."

I rolled my eyes. "That's big of you. Haven't you ever heard of dropping off heavy books at lockers which happen to be conveniently placed on the other side of the campus?"

"No."

"Now you have," I told him, plopping down in a chair on the opposite side of the table. "So…who is teaching today?"

"Me," Kyouya answered, bringing out his Pineapple laptop, "but I am afraid you will have to sit beside me."

"Alright. I'll submit to you for now, Shadow King," I sighed, swiveling my chair over to him. I grabbed a bag of cheesy curly fries I'd bought not too long ago. Kyouya watched me open the bag, look around for the librarian (no eating in the library allowed), and take a thin bumpy chip.

"Want one?" I offered him, but he turned it down.

"We will begin with the basics," he informed me. "Repeat after me: ichi, ni, san…"

O-o-O-o-O

"My brain hurts," I complained three-quarters through the lunch period.

"I'm sure you can handle the pain," Kyouya said, apathetically watching me pinch the bridge of my nose and massage my temples.

"Ugh, you have to begin with numbers," I groaned. "Math isn't one of my best subjects especially with everything in another language."

"So I noticed."

I stopped complaining, my eye twitching. "Do you study my school file before you go to bed every night?"

"No."

"Just let me listen to one song and we'll pick up where we left off, 'kay?" I leaned back with one hand in my backpack as I awaited his answer…which was silence so I took that as a 'yes'. My hands fumbled through the pencils, pens, eraser, and folded random notes until I discovered my red musical device.

I switched it on and listened to the first song which happened to be 'Meant to Live' by Switchfoot.

"'_Fumbling_ _his confidence and wondering why the world has passed him by_,'" I maxed out the volume and set my iPod on the table, shutting my eyes. "_'Hoping that he's bent for more than argument and failed attempts to fly…fly…_'"

"'_We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves? Somewhere we live inside, somewhere we live inside. We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves? Somewhere we live inside…Dreaming about Providence and whether mice or men have second tries. Maybe we've been livin' with our eyes half open, maybe we're bent and broken, broken…'"_

I heard Kyouya's fingers tapping on the keyboard quickly, but didn't bother opening my eyes. If I had, I would have seen many emotions flashing across his face but mostly pain. After the song had finished, we continued the lesson but Kyouya seemed vaguely distracted.

O-o-O-o-O

'_Please recover soon. You are an inspiration and beacon to me to be different and unique. Please accept this chocolate rabbit as a return gift for your stimulation.' _I set aside one of the fan letters I'd received the first day I came back from my vertigo spell. It had taken the better part of an hour to translate them to English. "So this is the rabbit I was eating for lunch that day. Huh, no name," I said to myself in the abandoned third chemistry lab. Everyone else had gone home and it was seven o'clock in the night.

I picked up another letter. '_Go back to America, you poor revolutionist. No one wants you here.'_

"Well, go suck air through a reed," I told the writer of the hate mail as I shredded it up and tossed it in the trash bin. I made another tally on my piece of paper to track how many negative letters I had gotten. I counted eight.

'_I am interested in some of the books you read, but do not know English. Please translate the titles and authors in Japanese so that I may find good reading material. Judging by your tastes and how you have a new book nearly every day, you are an avid reader and inspire me to learn more. –Nanako, in your History class'_

"That explains why she always asks me what book I'm reading. I am running out of books that can capture my attention though…I should ask Nanako if she knows any hooking books," I smiled, setting this note in my History book as a reminder.

'_Too bad your grades can not match your pathetic pedigree, American peon. I will laugh should you ever get kicked out of Ouran or spited by dear Kyouya. Leave him alone! He is not interested in struggling pond scum so back off or risk your wellbeing because everyone cares about you_.'

"This bi-atch is in my first hour," I said to myself, writing that on her note. "I can tell by her mockery of how 'everyone cares about you'. As for Kyouya, she can have him and see how _she_ likes swimming in his shark-infested waters." I set her note by my backpack so I could analyze it in more depth later, marking another tally.

Nine letters of hate mail, nine warnings.

All of them saying that, if I didn't leave Ouran or let Kyouya be, that I would be in jeopardy next week.

How badly I wanted that apartment right now.

Good thing it was only Monday.

O-o-O-o-O

"Oi, Nanako!" I hailed her down with a wide smile and handed the surprised girl a list of books I'd been reading for the past months. I had this magical list because I wrote down all of the books I liked that I've read in hopes of eventually buying them. Unfortunately, the bill would be astronomical. "Do you know any good reading material I could get my hands on? I'm running out myself."

"H-Hai," she stammered with a shy, growing smile on her face. "I-I'll write them down for you!"

"Arigatou, fellow bookworm," I told her as my grin grew.

"F-Fellow bookw-really?" Nanako was about to fall over.

"Yep. Don't let me down."

"Class! In your seats!" the sensei yelled at us.

I chuckled to myself, happy I'd made someone's day and then I frowned at the note in my chair.

'**You have five days.'**

Guess what.

The note was stuck to my seat with a huge wad of sticky bubblegum.

"Oh it is _on_," I growled in English under my breath. The next day I found a sticky note on my locker that said **'four days.' **Every day of the week I found a piece of paper with a number reminding me of the time I had left. I concluded there was a group, mostly comprised of females, conspiring against me.

Twice the Host Club asked me if someone was bothering me but I lied and said classes were a bit difficult. The last time I told the Host Club that fib I noticed Kyouya push his glasses up, causing the light to refract off the lenses so it appeared he had an evil glint in his black eyes.

O-o-O-o-O

-- is from onemanga. com; I don't own it

Disclaimer- I don't own Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, or 'Meant to Live' by Switchfoot

**Damatte-yo**: shut up

**Onamae wan nan desu ka?**- what is your name?

**Doko kara kimashita ka?**- where do you come from? (nationality)

**Eeego desu**- English person

**ichi-** one

**ni**- two

**san**- three


	6. Meeting Medusa

"Welcome to Hell," I told Kyouya who arched his eyebrow.

"Before we begin, are there any particular areas you are having trouble with in English?" I asked him. Kyouya just sat there and stared at me which was slightly unnerving, but I knew he would never admit if he ever had a problem unless it was _bad._

"Okay then," I said in my native tongue with a hint of irritation in my voice. "What is your name?"

"Kyouya Ohtori," he responded in English in a deadpan tone.

"What year in school are you?"

"I am a third year."

"Or a..." I trailed off, gesturing for him to pick up, but Kyouya didn't understand. I smacked my forehead, "Or a _senior_. Moving on. Where do you come from?"

"I am a Japanese person," Kyouya replied boredly.

I imitated the sound of a buzzer that goes off when someone gets the incorrect answer. "BZZZT! WRONG! Thanks for playing, but the right answer was 'I come from Japan', not 'I am a Japanese person.'"

Kyouya had both eyebrows arched now. There was a faint jingle and I smirked, "No cell phones during tutoring. Who is it?" He took it out as it jingled a second time, showing a picture of Tamaki.

Kyouya flipped open the phone and spoke in Japanese, "Yes, Tamaki?" He held the phone away from his ear as Tamaki yelled, "Mom! The kids are being unruly! Where are you? There are customers here!"

Did I forget to mention this tutoring session was on Friday, October 7th, during Host Club hours?

Tamaki had angered Kyouya and, in retaliation, Kyouya rescheduled tutoring from lunch to Host Club hours...at least for today. Hence why 'Dad' was fighting with 'Mom' right now.

I snickered, "Mom?"

Kyouya gave me an icy glare that froze my sniggering before replying, "Tamaki, I am busy at the moment. Please be patient because right now all your call is doing is delaying me."

"Can I speak to him?" I whispered excitedly while Tamaki babbled something.

"No."

"Please?" I grinned. "Let me mess with his head!" Kyouya handed over the phone without much thought, watching my Cheshire grin grow. I changed my voice. "Yo, what up, dono?"

There was a long pause. "_Kyouya?_" Tamaki's amazed voice crackled over the speakers.

"Tha's ma name, don't wear it out, homie," I told him. "Now stop gettin' all up in ma grill and take a chill pill, man. Peace out." I shut the phone and handed it back to Kyouya with a satisfied grin. "Please turn that off so our session won't be interrupted again."

Kyouya, smiling faintly, switched off his phone as it began jingling again.

"Now where were we?" I asked him.

O-o-O-o-O

Kyouya and I went our separate ways after tutoring, Mom going to the Third Music Room to face the wrath of Dad, me…I had no particular destination in mind except it had to be outside. I whistled as I strode outside and paused to take in the day.

A thin sheet of gray blotted out the sun, but the shade of gray was not dark enough to signal rain. I spotted a lone tree standing alone in the painstakingly manicured and plucked grass. Perfect. I sat under the tree, completing my History timeline when someone cleared their throat.

I glanced up, shutting the thick book and setting it on the ground beside me. "May I help you?" I inquired in Japanese with an arched eyebrow.

There stood a girl in one of the ugly yellow dresses which was the female uniform. Her wavy black hair was pulled up into a ponytail. Dark mauve eyes simmered with anger in contrast to her pale skin. Her hands were on her hips and her legs spread slightly apart in an imposing stance. At that moment a breeze kicked up and her hair whipped in the wind like snakes.

"Medusa," I whispered to myself, hoping she didn't understand English.

"What was that, sukanku?" she hissed, leaning forward.

"May I help you?" I repeated calmly in Japanese, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me. Her hair seriously resembled snakes when the individual locks blew in the wind.

"Yes," the Medusa-like woman nodded in a cool, business mannered way that reminded me of Kyouya. "Yes, actually you can. You see, I'm having a bit of a problem; do you think you can help me?"

Without waiting for my reply, she charged on. "Of course you can. My problem is a certain female is trying to steal away my man but I've warned her several times to stay away from him. She ignored me and somehow is spending time with my man who should be spending time with me, not her. I warned her to leave by Sunday or else…See my dilemma?"

She was referring to me and Kyouya, which was obvious even to a blind man. "Ah, but you couldn't have done it alone, neh? I mean, you would have to know everything about her, schedule and pastimes."

"One of my friend's fathers owns a share in computers and my friend has a knack for hacking," the Gorgon admitted. "Nice try, but no one will help you. Don't you get it? You're poor. The only reason anyone, even Kyouya, finds you interesting is because of your-your _freakish_ nature and upbringing!"

I stood up so that if we began a fight, she wouldn't have the advantage because she was standing. "Listen, jealous rich brat, and listen closely: I do not like Kyouya. He does not like me. We only 'spend time together' because of a mutually beneficial agreement we reached otherwise Kyouya would not even bother to go near me unless it benefitted him."

"You're lying!" The girl screamed. "Uso! Uso!" She sprang forward and slapped me.

Her nails scrapped my skin as my cheek stung from the blow which made me stumble back into the tree. One of my eyes watered from the pain, but the other remained clear. Kyouya's psychotic fangirl rushed me again, but I grabbed her wrists calmly. We began kicking each other. The damage went equally both ways because she wore heels and I wore tennis shoes. Before we were caught by someone, I shoved Medusa and she fell to the ground on her butt.

Time for the final blow.

"I'm cooler. Get over it," I told the girl on the ground in English. "I mean, people like you are the reason we have middle fingers." Medusa shrieked something in Japanese that probably was about as nice as what I had just said to her.

Light droplets dripped from the sky. I sighed and shook my head. "Just when I think you've said the stupidest thing ever, you keep on talking. Well, have a nice day…somewhere _else_."

The girl began to cry, but I kept going; she had tried to beat me up! "Don't you need a _license_ to be that ugly? I can't remember names, but I never forget a face…but in your case, I'll be glad to make an exception. Remember this bruja: that which does not kill me had better run pretty damn fast."

I dashed over to my abandoned timeline and History book, and stuffed them into my backpack. I glanced sideways to see if Medusa was still bawling her eyes out, but she had gotten up and was aiming a kick at my face. I barely managed to escape getting a broken nose by slipping on a wet patch of grass and falling backwards. Medusa slipped in the wet grass, back where she had been.

I picked up my backpack. Thunder rippled through the heavens, lightning would follow shortly. "If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be glad to do it for you," I yelled back at her over the loud pouring as I ran for the shelter of the deserted third chemistry lab.

O-o-O-o-O

My white sneakers squeaking as I ran through the empty hallways echoed loudly in my ears. It was after club hours and soon the school would be locked up. I wished it was Saturay so I wouldn't have to deal with being the target of Kyouya's fangirls. There was a roaring my ears and my peaked concentration levels disturbed me. My survival instincts had kicked in, eagerly awaiting the all-out cat fight that never happened.

Deep down, I was afraid.

A large group of conspirators, especially such determined rabid ones as fangirls, could possibly kill me, or worse.

"Alexis-chan?"

My sneakers slipped as I tried to skid, but the tile caused me to fall on my bum. "Ow."

A familiar form of darkness loomed over me with a frown of concern. "Were you in a fight? If so, I could curse your opponent for you."

I got to my feet and sighed, looking back from where I had come. "No thanks, Nekozawa. This girl thinks I'm trying to steal the guy she likes, but it's a misunderstanding. I don't like him. We had a scuffle just now before the rain came down."

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Um, the third chemistry lab," I replied. I wanted to smack myself now; _everyone_ knew that place was deserted.

"Conducting supernatural experiments?" Nekozawa chuckled with that smile of his.

"No...my, erm, stuff...is in there."

"You have your backpack," he pointed out.

I said nothing for a long time, feeling uncomfortable inside. A major internal conflict raged in me: tell Nekozawa, an oddball, that I was living in the school or lie. He knew too much to lie, but I felt ashamed of the truth. What should I do? I glanced up reluctantly at Nekozawa as humiliation stained my cheeks red. "Uhm…" My usual flow of creativity had run dry.

"Let me see your 'stuff'," Nekozawa told me, seeing that a cat had my tongue.

We walked in silence toward the forsaken laboratory and each step, it felt, brought me closer to my doom. I listened to thunder and lightning argue, the pitter-patter of rain as it collided against the buildings…Nekozawa's black robes drag on the cement, and my footfalls.

"How are you?" he suddenly asked.

I sighed. "Happy as a turtle on a conveyor belt."

"Because of the cat fight?"

I rolled my eyes. "We just kicked each other, that's all."

"Then what is this?" Three of Nekozawa's fingers traced the scratch marks the Gorgon's nails had left. I sucked in my breath quickly and pulled my head away; the slap mark was still tender.

"That accursed Gorgon opened the fight with the poisonous bite of her nails. This wound I bear stings as though fresh," I sighed, feeling a bit dramatic as I thought of the legend of Medusa.

"Which Gorgon did you have in mind?" Nekozawa asked, amused.

I smiled, "Medusa. She looks exactly like Medusa and I hope her fate turns out like the Gorgon's too. According to mythology, Medusa was a beautiful priestess of Athena and bragged her beauty surpassed even the gods'. The priestess was raped by Poseidon, the sea god, and Athena was so angry with his intrusion and her bragging that she made Medusa hideous, banishing her to live with the other Gorgons. If you looked her in the eyes, you turned to stone."

"Did you look in her eyes?"

"No." We laughed together. The earlier tension was eased until we reached our destination. I allowed Nekozawa to enter first as I nervously retrieved my things while he watched.

"You live in here?" I nodded, not looking at him. "Why didn't you accept Kirimi's proposal to stay?"

I chewed on my bottom lip as I forced myself to look at Nekozawa. "It would feel weird because I'm used to being independent. As you might say, I've been living in the darkness so long that I've forgotten the touch of light and how bright it is. I suggest we use the serfdom system to solve this problem."

"Serfdom?" Nekozawa repeated.

"Yup, I clean, take care of your sister, wash dishes, the works, and in turn, you provide me with food and shelter," I explained.

"That is like being a maid."

"Oh hush," I grumbled, "but there is to be no mention of this to anyone at school. 'Kay?"

An all-knowing, mocking smile slowly spread on the part of Nekozawa's face I could see. "I understand. Congratulations, Alexis-chan, you are now a part of the family."

I stared at Nekozawa. "Why do I get the feeling this will be no different from the Addams family?"

O-o-O-o-O

"Yay! You came back!" When I entered the mansion with Nekozawa, I received a warm greeting from Kirimi. I smiled when she ran at me and leapt into my arms. I swung her around in the air with a laugh while her elder brother watched on in sad, jealous amazement.

"Oh yes, Kirimi, I've come back to haunt you," I told her in a cheesy spooky voice which made the preschooler laugh. "Booga booga booga!" I crossed my eyes and stuck my tongue out, inducing more laughter as I set her back on the ground.

Kuretake poked her head from around a corner. "Miss Kirimi, complete your homework and then you may play." Pouting, the young girl gave me a glance that said she wanted me to save her from the work, but I didn't acknowledge the look. She walked around the corner and vanished.

"How did you do that?"

"Huh?" I shot the robed form a confused look.

"That voice or the line about haunting," Nekozawa said somewhat desperately. "When you said it, Kirimi laughed, but if I were to say that, Kirimi would cry."

I scratched my head. "I guess it was because I wasn't really trying to scary, just goofy-scary."

"But I do not _try_ to scare Kirimi," Nekozawa frowned.

"Maybe it's your over-eagerness to bond with your little sister that's scaring her…To a little kid's mind, a tall black figure is imposing and scary," I commented, giving the prince of darkness a thorough critique, "but you can't discard the costume because of the light…hm, this is indeed a conundrum…"

We stood there in silence until Nekozawa summoned Kadomatsu to fetch my luggage from the limousine and place it in a room. Nekozawa, or Master Umehito as I was to call him in the 'house', led me to what was to be my bedroom, Kadomatsu trailing behind us.

"I hope you enjoy your stay," Nekozawa chuckled in his creepy way. Bereznoff peered over his master's shoulder at me and I smiled at the cat puppet. I had a soft spot for felines.

"I hope so too," I replied diplomatically, eyeing my new home. It seemed like I had taken a step back into the olden times with all the antiques and bizarre things I saw. I silently admired tapestries of old, portraits, relics, and the architecture. There are lots of candelabras, I noted.

I suddenly stopped as a thought occurred to me. "The mock exams are a week from now, aren't they?"

"No, this Monday," Nekozawa corrected me. "The in-school mock exams are graded and during that time period, all classes are cancelled from then until the last day of October. This happens every year, right Bereznoff?" The cat puppet nodded.

"But what do the students do from then until Halloween?" I asked, feeling panic creep upon me.

"They are allowed to organize masquerades and events to promote class bonding."

I couldn't contain the panic anymore. "Aaaaaaahhhhh!! This _Monday_!?" I howled in English, having a premature nervous breakdown. "This sucks so badly! Must! Study!"

"Calm down. It is only _mock_ exams," Nekozawa snorted. "It's the real exams you should be concerned about."

"You don't understand," I whined, biting my nails. "I've got take this exam in a different language. Do you realize how difficult that will be? What if I misconjugate something?! If I fail the mock exam, I might fail the _real_ exam and then lose my scholarship! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" My nails bit into the thin skin covering my skull as I tried to calm down, but better to freak out now than later. I hyperventilated so much that I passed out.

Bereznoff waved his little arms around before making nodding motions. Nekozawa nodded in agreement and chuckled at the new unconscious maid, "This is another matter to take to the spirits in tonight's prayer."

O-o-O-o-O

As a senior, Nekozawa wasn't really concerned about the exams, mock or not. He knew the material and studied, despite what others might think. Instead, after dinner which Alexis hadn't come to, the prince of darkness checked on the freaking out freshman. When he opened the door to her room, he found Alexis sitting cross-legged on the bed which was cluttered with open textbooks and notes.

She didn't notice him and so Nekozawa entered, slipping to stand behind her.

She heaved an extremely stressed sigh, wiping her brow.

"I know aroma therapy," Nekozawa whispered causing Alexis to yelp and jump. Some of her books slid to the floor.

"Nooooo," Alexis moaned with her hand outstretched toward the books, staring at them ruefully. One was a translator from Japanese to English.

"Sumimasen," he apologized.

Alexis shook her head wearily. "That's okay, Nekozawa. I don't mind. My brain feels like it's about to explode and my stomach refuses to quit complaining...I'll have a snack and then we can try that therapy, okay?"

He nodded, pleased that someone trusted him enough to allow him to perform a ritual on them. At Ouran, even offering to do palm reading made everyone he asked skittish. Then again, in Alexis's current state, she didn't really seem to care what happened as long as she could go back to studying. Studying had not only fried her brain but her feelings- she had become apathetic and exhausted in her quest to succeed.

Nekozawa set up a special room with certain fragrant candles while his patient ate a light meal and waited tolerantly for her. It didn't take long.

"Come this way." He guided her to the room and had her lay on a red velvet couch. One by one, he slowly lit the candles and told Alexis to breathe in deeply and then normally. Nekozawa watched Alexis breathe softly in the candlelight for signs of relaxation until he realized she had fallen asleep. He extinguished all the candles but one which he held in his hand as he glided over to Alexis. Setting the candle in an empty candelabra, he kneeled near the couch on which she slept. Bereznoff made a bowing motion.

To the darkness, Nekozawa whispered his prayers.

O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: don't own Sméagol or Lord of the Rings which are both Tolkien's.

The in-school mock exams really are in October, but as to the exact date, I have no clue. It must be near the end of October, give or take one or two weeks to set up the class events.

**Dono/tono**- 'lord' in older eras. (often what the twins call Tamaki)

**Sukanku**- skunk

**Uso**- liar

**Bruja**- witch in Spanish

**Sumimasen**- excuse me, I'm sorry


	7. Mouse Trap or Ultimate Opportunity?

I woke in a strange bed dressed in my clothing from the previous day. With consciousness came remembrance. Someone had transported me from the room with the lovely-smelling candles to my new bedroom. On the bed was a black and white maid's outfit which, thankfully, had a long skirt. It wasn't one of those skimpy French maid outfits.

I momentarily contemplated wearing my clothes from yesterday, but decided it would be fun to dress up in something I didn't wear every day…or at all, even if it was a maid's outfit. Oh, how my friends in the States would have loved to get a picture of me dressed in this to give to any future boyfriends of mine. Fortunately, they weren't here so I didn't have to worry about incriminating pictures.

I was smoothing down the wrinkles when a blonde head poked through my door.

"Finally, you're awake," Kirimi cheered as she ran over to me and disappeared in the folds of my skirt when she hugged my leg.

"Excuse me for not waking up in the indecent hours of the morning before eleven," I snorted, picking her up.

"Your breath stinks," the blonde midget complained.

I used my Jack Sparrow pirate accent. "It's called morning breath, luv."

"Eew!" She squirmed free of my grasp and took off running when her feet hit the wooden flooring. I chuckled to myself because my foul morning breath was my secret weapon if some unfortunate soul decided I needed to wake up when I didn't want to. My flawless plan was to act as if I were in deep slumber when the person shook me until I suddenly blew a blast of rotten breath at them. It allowed five minutes of extra sleep before the person decided upon another tactic; usually it involved a bright light such as throwing open curtains or switching on a light.

I hated it at night or in the morning when I was trying to sleep and there was a glimmer of light visible. That glimmer would drive me crazy unless I got rid of it. For sleeping, certain requirements needed to be fulfilled—one of them was complete, utter darkness.

Of course, complete, utter darkness is only found under mountains at night so I guess that's how I developed insomnia.

"Tee hee hee," a small girlish voice giggled.

"Ah ha!" I roared, suddenly spinning around to face the door with my finger pointing at Kirimi. "I found you! You lose and now you're It, midget."

"I'm not a midget," the adorable thing protested, "and that's Miss Kirimi to you now. You're in uniform."

"Screw the rules," I muttered under my breath in English before telling my tiny mistress in Japanese. "I'm going to get some chow before playing, okay? Then I have to clean and study."

"Onii-san is studying too," Kirimi said sadly, glancing hopefully at corners for a peek of her elder brother. "Is there a test?"

I nodded. "The mock exams. Eh, which way is the kitchen? I'm so lost in this huge house, I mean, mansion-place-castle-thing..." Kirimi led me to the kitchen which was empty because it was no longer lunch. I told Kirimi to go bother her brother while I ate, but she stuck to me like glue.

It was going to be a long day and an even longer weekend.

Exams were going to be tough.

But my extra-special plan was going to be even tougher.

The plan to help save the Black Magic Club.

O-o-O-o-O

"Well that was bogus," I huffed in English after the exams had been collected. "All that studying and it was easier than I'd expected…almost a disappointment really." Everyone split into their own special group while I sat alone in my desk, until the class president identified himself. I went to confront him.

"Do you think I could skip out the class event to help the Host Club?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Go ahead."

"Arigatou gozaimasu," I grinned. One down and one to go; this was easy, almost too easy, but then again, I was good at getting what I wanted. I did what I was told and asked few favors so I was usually granted these favors. Kyouya was right—I was an excellent manipulator. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not but I didn't dwell on it.

I hid in my old home, the third chemistry lab, to change into my disguise before heading to the main office. I entered the office nervously and was spotted immediately in my bizarre attire.

"Ah, Umehito Nekozawa," the snooty secretary said politely. "May I inquire as to your unusual visit?"

_Psh, the witch was never this polite when ever_ I _came into the office_, I thought bitterly. Instead, I kept the disguise going. If this worked, it would save the Black Magic Club from being disbanded. "Fufufufufu," I chuckled in his whispery voice. Being his maid allowed me to hear his voice more than I would have liked because usually it meant orders. "I have a special…_surprise_ for Halloween this year."

She arched her eyebrows. "Nekozawa, your club is running out of options. This 'surprise' better be very successful or else your club's expiration date might be moved to Christmas." Oh boy, no pressure.

"I assure you it will be quite fruitful," I told the secretary as my Bereznoff doll nodded. "I would like to reserve the central ballroom on this date." I set my finger on a date on a calendar which was taped to the desk. The secretary dutifully recorded this on her computer.

"Whose name would you like this to be under?"

"Mine."

"Time period?"

"Just that night," I told her in Nekozawa's voice, "from eight to eleven at night, but no one is allowed to enter it from today until then or else a terrible curse shall befall them."

"Alright, it's yours." My lips curled into a creepy imitation of Nekozawa's smile.

O-o-O-o-O

"Kyouya."

The grim reaper raised his hood and I saw myself reflected in his glasses from the depths of the hood. "Kyouya-sempai, I'm going to split my time with the Host Club and the class. My class is doing a special event, but I would like some money to buy my own costume."

"Why not borrow one from the Host Club?"

"You would charge me for renting it and then there is the interest," I told him, glaring. "Not to mention you would make me clean it too."

"Thank you for informing me beforehand." The reaper marked this on his clipboard which was eerily in character as if he were scratching out my name on his hit list. "It can't be helped." I flashed Kyouya a genuinely thankful smile before turning around to change into my costume for Host duties.

It was the second time my lips curled into an imitation of Nekozawa's grin before a smile of eager anticipation replaced it. I couldn't wait to get started! Everything was going according to plan.

Kyouya Ohtori and Artemis Fowl weren't the only geniuses.

So at three o'clock, when school was done for the day and I was given 7,200 yen, I was one happy, paid, devious schemer ready to begin Phase Two of the Plan to save the Black Magic Club. Before I left, I warned Kyouya that tomorrow I would be helping with the class event but that I would be at the Host Club the day after. The Shadow King gave his approval for the arrangement.

It became my new schedule and double life until Friday the 28th: one day at the Host Club, the next working on the Plan, and over again. I enlisted the assistance of Kuretake and Kadomatsu especially on the days I was with the Host Club, but swore them to secrecy and strictly told them not to tell anyone—especially Master Umehito.

O-o-O-o-O

Dark, stylish and catchy gothic-looking posters and bulletins magically appeared everywhere before the lunch period thanks to Kuretake and Kadomatsu's speed and my strategic placement. _Everyone _saw them—on the classroom doors, on every locker, in the bathrooms, everywhere clusters of students hung out, the flyers were there.

I wandered over to one of them, acting casually curious and observing reactions.

"_Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble"!_

_The Black Magic Club presents to you, student body a ball in the central ballroom on Hallow's Eve from eight o'clock to eleven._

_There will be food, beverages, paraphernalia, music, and games including a kissing coffin. Choose the kissing coffin of a slumbering vampire of the opposite sex and be rewarded with the kiss of death. To assure the general audience that our ball is not too frightening, we, the Black Magic Club, hereby invite the student council and the Host Club. _

_Come with me All Hallow's night_

_We'll frighten everyone in sight_

_Such pranks for once, are justified _

_And fun and frolic amplified_

"No way am I going," one student said with a shiver. "Those guys are too spooky for me."

"Those posters are everywhere…"

"Hey, Alexis, are you going to go to this?"

I suddenly found dozens of eyes on me expectantly and my anthropophobia kicked in. My cheeks turned red as my eyes wandered to the ground, sometimes flickering up at the people. My tongue tied itself in a knot as a feeling of uneasiness and awkwardness grew in my throat while my brain began to freeze. I finally found my voice. "I-It seems like a f-fun idea. I mean, w-what else d-do we have to-" My voice suddenly gave out, but I swallowed. "-to do. Why not give it a try?"

I noticed after everyone looked away, murmuring their agreement, that I was shaking; it wasn't noticeable but the shaking was like shivering in the cold. I sighed when everyone began dissipating and the spotlight was no longer on me. I felt slightly drained as if I'd undergone a grueling ordeal and survived relatively unscathed.

The word got out quickly that the American transfer was going to the ball.

I loved how quickly rumor spread its black wings.

"'Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing/ Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before'," I whispered to myself in English, watching more and more people agree to go because I had.

O-o-O-o-O

The Black Magic Club wasn't nearly as pleased.

"What the hell," hissed one of the guys, seething. "Someone has set this up. We can't risk something this big because the student council will definitely shut us down immediately if they don't like what they see!"

"This could be our greatest opportunity so far," Kanazuki Reiko-Hime pointed out. "We should stick through this gamble until the end because the omens bode well."

"Mr. President, how did we get a hold of the main ballroom?" one of the other guys asked.

"I inquired about that and the office secretary said I personally requested the ballroom for Hallow's Eve," Nekozawa frowned. Bereznoff twitched and waved his arms. "Yes, Bereznoff. It appears I have an imposter posing as me."

"Who ever is mocking the Black Magic Club shall be jinxed with my worst curse," Kanazuki said softly and the rest of the Black Magic Club shivered at the ice in the mistress of curse's tone.

"But are they trying to save the Black Magic Club?" the medicine man spoke up suddenly. "There intentions could be either one but we will never find that out unless the culprit is discovered."

"Who is it?" they all murmured.

"Perhaps we should investigate this," one of the males suggested.

"How can we investigate after school when most of the students have gone home? Or find one perpetrator in a haystack of students at Ouran?" argued another male.

"Enough," Nekozawa ordered and everyone in the club waited for what he had to say. "The rest of you may gather the Bereznoff paraphernalia we will need prepared for Halloween. I will personally look into this matter and find out who has set us up. Only time will tell if they will be joyous or if they will be damned."

O-o-O-o-O

"Oooh!," Alexis squealed with excitement, unusually exuberant. She pumped a fist into the air. "Woot! Halloween party! Nice going Nekozawa! Knowing you, this party is going to be off the chi-zang!"

"Arigatou," he replied politely, "but the Black Magic Club did not set up the celebration on Monday."

"Nani?" Alexis stared at him in surprise, pausing. "What do you mean? The flyers said-"

"Someone set up the Black Magic Club," Nekozawa interrupted. "We believe that a student or students are mocking us or attempting to shut down our club more quickly."

Alexis arched one dark brown eyebrow. "What are you going to do about that?"

"That depends on the outcome of Halloween," the prince of darkness admitted. "However, if the set up does not turn out successful, be sure that the Black Magic Club will everything in its power to make that person utterly miserable."

"Whoa, intense," she whistled. They walked in silence for a while before reaching the front of the school. Nekozawa leaned against a tree, shaded from the sun while he watched Alexis glance around with a bored expression, fingers plucking at her backpack straps. She sighed a handful of times, gray eyes unfocused before noticing his stare.

Alexis flashed him a smile. "You know, if it makes you feel any better, I'll show up at this set up thing on Hallow's Eve to draw some support. Perhaps the student council and Host Club will deign to show themselves too."

"I severely doubt the Host Club would bother showing," Nekozawa sighed. Bereznoff slumped with a sad, anxious expression on his puppet face.

"What should be my costume?" Alexis suddenly asked to anyone within listening range, but with how quiet she normally spoke, only Nekozawa heard. A smile appeared on his face and he gave his mysterious, eerie chuckle of "fufufufufufufu" and Bereznoff perked up.

Alexis eyed him with a mixture of amusement and alarm. "Should I be concerned for my welfare?"

"Fufufufufufufufu," the prince of darkness cackled eagerly. "You will definitely enjoy my closet of costumes, Alexis-chan."

"You can drop the 'chan' part."

"Why?"

The American shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just used to people calling me by my name without a title attached. It sounds weird to my ears."

"You say _weird_ like it's a bad thing," Nekozawa smirked and Alexis laughed.

"Are you sure you aren't pulling my leg about you not setting up the party?" Alexis grinned.

"Hai."

"Suuuure."

"I am not!"

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"I refuse to participate further in this childish argument," Nekozawa scowled.

"You're just mad I won," Alexis giggled.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not. What's taking Kadomatsu so long?" the prince of darkness mused aloud.

"Are too. I have no clue…usually he's early…"

"Am not."

"Are too and you know it," Alexis smiled. Neither spoke for a while. "And don't even think about trying to curse me, Master Umehito Nekozawa. Bereznoff, I can see you rubbing your paws together."

O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack Sparrow or his pirate accent, Artemis Fowl, the "double, double toil and trouble" quote from Shakespeare's _Macbeth, _or the 'come with me All Hallow's night' quote from a 19th Century Halloween postcard, or Edgar Allen Poe's _Raven_,

As for the Sméagol reference, that's for later. I accidentally forgot to edit that part when I changed part of the chapter; a bad error on my part, but there _will_ be a Sméagol reference.

Anthropophobia- social phobia; fear of people or being in a company


	8. Masquerade

Nekozawa witnessed some exceptionally bizarre behavior from his newest maid, Alexis, on Saturday during lunch. As usual, Alexis served the food to his sister and then him, but when she sat down to join them at Kirimi's request…she picked at her food, occasionally murmuring something to herself, and picking at her food more, turned red and buried her face in her hand before suddenly spearing a portion of her meal and sucking it down.

"Why are you acting so funny?" Kirimi asked, unknowingly voicing her brother's unasked question.

The fork Alexis had intensively inspected and twiddled in her hands for the last five minutes slipped quite ungracefully from her fingers. "Huh?" She looked up at the little blonde girl, face slightly pink from dropping the fork.

"You haven't eating anything and mutter under your breath a lot," replied the preschooler with a curious expression.

"I have…something on my mind." Alexis picked up the fork and twisted in her pasta before hastily shoving an unladylike amount into her mouth to prevent further questions and prying. Nekozawa's eyebrows arched from within the shadows of his hood as Alexis became absentminded once again, staring blankly at the wall. Once in a while the American would cock her head vaguely as if listening to an unheard voice or mulling over an idea. Perhaps she wasn't mentally stable…

"Perhaps you would like a movie –tragedy, horror, or other—to take your mind off this 'something' that is plaguing your mind?" the prince of darkness suggested. Bereznoff nodded before glancing at Kirimi almost hopefully and turning its attention back to Alexis.

Alexis gazed at him with some surprise, frozen like someone had put her on pause. Slowly, his schoolmate began to chew slowly and nodded more enthusiastically as she warmed up to the idea. Kirimi, however, would not allow her onii-san to steal her playmate.

"But Alexis promised she would tell me story," the preschooler protested.

Alexis managed to swallow her huge mouthful of spaghetti before replying, "I _can_ you a story, Miss Kirimi, and I can watch a movie with Master Umehito. In fact, I can do both at the same time because movies tell stories. What kinds of movies do you two like to watch?"

"Horror," Nekozawa replied instantaneously.

"Animated films," Kirimi said excitedly. Both frowned at the other.

"Science fiction," the dark prince scowled.

"Chick flick," Kirimi pouted.

"Thrillers."

"Romance!"

"Supernatural."

Alexis eyed the warring siblings and rolled her eyes. "Good grief, Charlie Brown, what have I gotten myself into?"

O-o-O-o-O

Nekozawa sat on the darker side of the room in a corner while Kirimi sat on the couch of the side with more sunlight. Standing by the light switch, I resisted the urge to smack my forehead. How could I get these two to watch a movie if they kept bickering about how light or dark it was in the room?

I couldn't.

That's how it ended up like this…and the siblings kept whining.

I flicked off the light switch only to have Kirimi scream in her shrill voice, "It's too dark!"

However, when the switch went up and the artificial light hanging from the ceiling brightened, Nekozawa howled, "The light! It burns us! Bereznoff, protect!" and threw up his arms over his face with his cat puppet thrust toward the source of brightness. This had been going on for fifteen minutes.

I calmly took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly, gathering every ounce of patience I possessed so I wouldn't lose it and rip my hair out, screaming. I strode over to the curtains and yanked them shut forcefully, a scream of fright erupting from Kirimi. I gritted my teeth together and sucked in a breath which sounded more like a hiss as I pulled out matches from one of my pockets. I lit every candle in the room and gathered it in a circle near the couch. I stomped over to the light switch and swatted it off.

Yes, I was the essence of tolerance.

"IT'S DARK! TOO DARK! IT'S SCARY!" The blond girl wailed, bawling as she rubbed her eyes. I threw open the curtains, barely containing my screech of irritation. This was ridiculous!

"WAAAAAAAHHHH!" Nekozawa yelped as the sun's brilliant rays hit him and he dove to the floor in the shadow of the chair. I shut the curtains, eliciting another wave of complaints from Kirimi.

I lost it.

"Rasen kono. _DAMATTE-YO_!" I yelled at the top of my voice to be heard over Kirimi, who stopped screaming to gape at me in shock. Both siblings stared at me. "_You_" –I jabbed my index finger condemningly at Kirimi—"can you see your hand in the candlelight?"

"H-hai," the preschooler stammered.

"_You_" –it was Nekozawa's turn—"is it dark enough to satisfy, Your Majesty?"

"H-h-hai," he spluttered, blue eyes wide and frightened. Neither of them had ever seen me throw a fit, but they were about to.

"This is frickin' ridiculous," I shouted at them, throwing my hands in the air. "You two are _siblings_ and in a family, tolerance has to be exercised regularly. I have brothers and a sister. Do you think _we_ get along peachy keen? Ha! That would be a joke! No, but we tolerate each other a lot more than you two do!"

The two exchanged a glance before their eyes fearfully set back on me, waiting for more verbal fire and brimstone to be hurled at them, but I had lost my steam. I massaged the bridge of my nose. "What movie are we going to watch?" There was no response, but then again my charges were probably reeling with shock that I'd lost my temper and flew off the handle at them.

I didn't look at them or else I might begin shouting again. "Well? Do I have to pick the movie?"

Dead silence.

I began pacing back and forth between the television, feeling like a domestic Sherlock Holmes searching for something near impossible—something Nekozawa and Kirimi would both want to watch. "Miss Kirimi likes stories with princes and castles and fairytale things _but_ Master Nekozawa likes dark things like magic and curses and spells…What movie combines those? What movie is not too scary or adult for Kirimi yet not boring for Nekozawa?"

I racked my brain for the answer. There had to be **one**, a movie they would _both _enjoy! It hit me.

"Ah!" I grinned as I placed my fist on my palm enthusiastically. "Beauty and the Beast!"

"Eh?" both siblings said in unison, speaking for the first time since I lectured them.

"You'll see!" I told them, running out of the room.

O-o-O-o-O

When I began the movie, I plopped down in the middle of the couch while Kirimi kept to the right of the couch and Nekozawa remained elusively in his chair. However, at the first 'scary' part, the preschooler quickly scooted over and clung to my waist. It didn't escape my notice when the dark prince migrated from his lonely perch to the far side of the couch but I beckoned him over; he seemed stunned but gladly moved to be on my left.

'_How bizarre_,' I mused, eyes glued to the screen with a wry smile on my lips, '_a preschooler hugging my waist and an interesting schoolmate sitting beside me. Hm, I still like Nekozawa's robes and Bereznoff…it's cute to see that cat on his hand and watch them communicate._' I quickly glanced at him with my peripheral vision.

The dark prince had lowered his hood in the darkness—something I'd never seen before and I stared. Umehito Nekozawa looked…different without his cowl. More and more he reminded me of a black robed mage.

Now don't get me wrong, but I have this…magnetic attraction to magic and wizards which was why Harry Potter and the Dragonlance series were such huge hits for me. In a way I had every qualification to be a wizard: passion for magic, a bookworm, keen interest in candles, cooking, and my favorite animals were cats and ravens which were both associated with bad luck and magicians.

So seeing Nekozawa in wizard-ish attire with the greenish-black locks of his wig concealing his eyes, his figure glowing in the candlelight…it was kinda '_whoa_' for me because of the magnetic attraction.

Unfortunately, he caught me staring at him instead of the glowing television screen and glanced at me questioningly. I sharply diverted my attention to the screen, ignoring how the questioning eyes burned into my head before slowly getting dragged back to the screen.

It was the main scene that made people go 'aaww'—the dance number with Belle and the Beast. I chewed on my lip. '_Crap! That reminds me I need to learn how to dance by Monday, but where do I get the lessons? Who do I ask? Nekozawa? Kadomatsu? Curse my stupidity! I set up a ball and I don't even know the first thing about formal dancing! How brilliant am I?_' I snorted.

"Something the matter?"

I didn't turn my head, but my eyes darted to Nekozawa who was watching me out of the corner of his eye. How long had he been doing that? I looked at my right side to see Kirimi utterly absorbed by the romantic action unfolding before her; it was almost as if the television had sucked out her soul.

"I just remembered," I whispered back to him, "The Hallow's Eve ball. I don't know how to dance like that." I tilted my chin toward the screen where the Beast spun Belle around, the couple gazing mushily into each others eyes and smiling like fools.

"I suppose I could teach you," he said after a moment of silence. "I need your assistance at the ball with the kissing coffins. Kanazuki is the only female in the Black Magic Club and, charming as she is, our princess and mistress of curses refused to spend the entire night cooped in a coffin."

Another small backfire.

I needed to brush up on how to conspire without it getting backfired on the conspirator at all.

"Sure," I shrugged. "We'll split the night. Does she want the first hour or second hour in the coffin?"

"Second."

"Okie dokie artie chokie," I smiled. "It's a deal."

I couldn't breathe when Nekozawa leaned in very, _very_ terribly close to my ear, so close his nose brushed against the side of my face and his hot breath tickled my ear when he whispered, "Arigatou. Kirimi would never allow me this close to her. I truly appreciate what you did and I won't forget it." With that, he went back to watching the movie, leaving me to wonder if the last sentence was a good thing or not. Beet red, I decided not to dwell on it and lost myself in the tale of Beauty and the Beast.

O-o-O-o-O

"Gomen nasai, Master Umehito," I apologized for what must have been the fortieth time. I stared at the floor and took a step back from him, feeling strangely timid and mortified. I clasped my hands together and wrung them. Dance lessons weren't going so hotly, but I hadn't expected them to be this bad! I remembered the steps…until my mind began to wander or I watched our feet to remember the pattern; then I began stepping on toes.

"You're getting better," the prince of darkness whispered as he stepped towards me, ready for another round. "This time you lasted until the second verse, but" -I reluctantly placed a hand on his shoulder as his hand slipped around my waist- "the next time you trod on my shoes" –I felt my face flame- "don't stop dancing, just keep going until the end of the song."

"M'kay," I muttered, hating the near proximity of a male. There wasn't much room between us and his hand on my waist bothered my mind like an itch that begged to be scratched but was in an unreachable spot. I had only one boyfriend but we had never danced and he had never touched me unless it was for a hug or holding hands.

Focused on my ex-boyfriend, my foot ended up on Nekozawa's again and I bit my lip, suddenly attentive as I stared at the dark prince's chest as I heard him whisper, "One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three" over and over again to remind me of the steps. I wanted to apologize but kept my mouth shut; it wouldn't do any good because my dance partner already understood I was sorry.

"Ugh, I'm gonna hate the enormity of the crowd squeezed into that ballroom," I commented suddenly, speaking my fears aloud to myself. "No peace and quiet, just noise and jostling."

"Agreed," Nekozawa sighed and I tilted my head up to see his face. We were practicing in a dim room lit only by candles and the dark prince had lowered his hood again, but his wig was parted so I could see a gentle blue eye. "Social events are not my forte either and I'm afraid the Black Magic Club will be out of its element. Things such as balls fall into the Host Club's expertise."

I arched my eyebrows. "Nekozawa, this is _Halloween_. It _is_ your element. The Host Club entertains girls and makes them act goofy, but Halloween is your time for glory—when the zombies come out from their graves and werewolves run amok. I'm sure you'll conquer your anxiety with the enigmatic, suave personality you possess."

He seemed surprised and a genuine smile slowly blossomed on his face. "Arigatou, Alexis."

Suddenly the situation felt a whole lot less comfortable than it had five minutes ago.

I cleared my throat, blushing slightly. "Can we please change the music to something more suiting?"

"Go ahead."

I hooked up my iPod to the speakers with a smile of someone in their element. "_'Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me. I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed. She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an 'L' on her forehead…_'"

I felt more comfortable with the less formal music to waltz to and the lyrics apparently made Nekozawa more confident too because I stepped on his toes less than before. A grin made itself apparent on my face. I really was improving! I heard Nekozawa begin to chant, "One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three-"

* * *

"One, two, three, one, two, three- Excellent!" Nekozawa flashed me a genuine smile on the dance floor as we danced to 'Overture' by Andrew Lloyd Webber, a song from the Phantom of the Opera, but only the first two minutes would be played from the CD before the song changed. The ball had just begun and already there was a good turn out.

"I like this song," Nekozawa commented casually as he spun me around. "I wonder who selected the music for tonight…" I said nothing but smiled because the dark but festive spirits were infectious. I inwardly swelled with pride at the decorations and hard work Kuretake, Kadomatsu, and I had done to make the ballroom sinister yet not terrifying.

The curtains were black velvet and drawn back to allow the pale silvery-white light from the full moon to shine through the window panes. Candles were lit in abundance so it wasn't difficult to see. Black streamers hung from the ceiling, concealing flashing white strobe lights that winked from above. Strategically hidden buckets of dry ice filled with water spilled smoky fog on the dance floor.

When one danced in the mist, it swirled around and occasionally climbed up to the waist as though spirits were grasping onto the dancer's body; the fog was not thick as pea soup yet it was not too thin either.

To add onto those decorations were fake mummies leaning against walls or resting in open-lidded coffins, motion-sensitive skeletons that told corny jokes when someone moved in front of it, and fake cobwebs were just about as common as the dark colored candles. Fake spiders with elongated, skeletal legs were poised on the webs.

Near the doors were the games that involved tossing a beanbag through the cutout nose, eyes, and mouth of a cardboard pumpkin stand-up, bobbing for 'poison' apples, and more. The food was eyes (olives or grapes), guts and blood (spaghetti with tomato sauce), body organs (fruits or vegetables), and punch with toy rings and plastic spiders in it as prizes. There was candy in abundance and movies on sale like Harry Potter and The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton, not to mention the customary Bereznoff merchandise.

"An excellent crowd has gathered. Time for you to go in the kissing coffin," Nekozawa mentioned, with a glance at the line near the two shut coffins with marks that revealed the gender of the vampire within. I was already in my vampiress costume and sighed as 'Things That Go Bump In the Night' by Allstars began to play.

"Alright," I sighed. "I might miss some awesome songs. Have fun, Nekozawa." I waved back at him as I quietly sang along to the song to get into the mood of Halloween before slipping into my coffin; another one of the Black Magic Club members waited in the other. To gain profits, the kissing coffin cost one hundred yen per kiss on the neck and two hundred for one on the mouth.

I slid my fake fangs in my mouth before the lid to my coffin opened and a curious male student disguised as a jester gazed at me. I smiled, exposing my fangs as I leaned forward. "Ello, darling." The jester lifted his orange ticket which meant a kiss on the neck. Although I'd never kissed a random person's neck, I had done it to my ex-boyfriend who claimed to be a vampire lord.

I took my time leaning forward slowly and breathing on his neck before my mouth lightly covered a patch of skin on his neck; my lips purposely lingered on his neck and I felt the jester stiffen in paralyzed fear before I leaned back and slipped the orange ticket from his unmoving fingers. I retreated into the coffin and closed the lid, stuffing the orange ticket in a pocket.

One down, countless to go.

I don't know how much of my shift I had left to go, but at one point I heard universal cheering and shouting, "Host Club! The Host Club is here! Look at them!" Girls squealed and applauded the loudest. It amazed me how clearly I could hear their voices and then the deafening silence before:

"The Host Club has arrived!" Tamaki's voice announced loudly. This evoked cheers, mostly from fangirls. "Let the party continue!" It made me mad. Those guys thought they could tramp in here and steal the spotlight from the Black Magic Club; the worst part was they _could_ and they just had. I gritted my teeth, almost wishing I hadn't invited them but I had summoned them for the profit that trailed behind them like a king's robe, not for stealing another club's chance to make it big.

I was very surprised when the coffin lid opened and revealed Kyouya with a confidently arrogant expression on his face until he spotted me. His eyebrows shot up and the light reflected off his glasses, hiding his gaze. "What are _you_ doing here?" he asked.

"I was recruited last minute," I scowled, not liking his tone. In his fingers, my gray eyes caught a flash of orange in a squarish form. A ticket! And my revenge for his arrogance. Suddenly, a truly vampirish smile crept onto my lips. "Why, Kyouya, you have no costume. Have you no spirit?" I smirked at his impassive face. "You appear to have no treat for me so I suppose I'll have to trick you." Leaning forward, I gave him the illusion of a kiss, but suddenly attacked his neck and when my lips left his neck a lovely brilliant red hickey placed for all to see glowed on his light skin.

"Happy Halloween," I cackled mysteriously and laughed like a mad scientist before quickly withdrawing into my coffin. I covered my mouth as I continued my gales of muffled laughter at the slight surprise on Kyouya's normally reserved or evil, smirking face.

Well, he wasn't smirking anymore.

It had been so worth it just to see a crack in his calculating, icy façade.

For a fraction of a second, I had seen another side of Kyouya—the shock when his guard his breached or something he did not anticipate occurs. I bet few were ever privileged to see that side of Kyouya because the Shadow King usually was ten steps ahead.

For once in my lifetime, I had been one step ahead of Kyouya Ohtori.

I began mentally making my Will because I had a feeling I might be buried in this coffin by the end of the night.

O-o-O-o-O

My lengthy hour was finally up.

Kanazuki and I exchanged places, me wishing her the best of luck and maintaining the highest tolerance level. She thanked me and assured me that if any of the males tried something, they would find one of her five deadliest curses on their head.

I laughed and asked, "Did you get to dance with Hunny-sempai?"

"I had a sinfully good time dancing with him," Kanazuki nodded with a faint blush of pink on her cheeks.

I chuckled and headed for the dance floor to find Nekozawa and hide from Kyouya by losing myself in the mass of writhing bodies and flashing costumes. Ironically, 'Holding Out for a Hero' by Jennifer Saunders blasted on the speakers as I suddenly found myself dancing with Haruhi.

"Yo, what's up?" I grinned, flashing her a smile. I had changed into a black shirt, pants, and shirt with pouches hanging off my belt and had one of Nekozawa's black robes fastened around my shoulders. Yes, I was a wizard.

"This party it seems," Haruhi replied with her own smile. "Kyouya agreed to let us come because you decided to and because you are something different from the norm at the Host Club; he feared you would sweep away all of our profits by luring our guests here. He also said he realized that by attending we would be supporting the Black Magic Club, but the Host Club was inescapably pressured into coming by the flyers."

"Wow." So that part of the plan had worked or Kyouya had allowed it to. I felt grateful he had realized what had been intended and played along with it. I abruptly wanted to find Kyouya and hug him, but then he would nail me in a coffin with nails of vengeance.

"It seemed like Kyouya-sempai wanted to scope out the ball," Haruhi mentioned. She was dressed in her school uniform; no costume for Haruhi either.

"Not any more," I chuckled nervously, "he's probably mad at me for giving him that hickey from the kissing coffin. I'm just waiting for him to materialize behind me, whisper 'Boo' in my ear, and then enslave me to the Host Club for all eternity."

"That sounds like Kyouya-sempai," Haruhi replied bluntly and none-too-assuring.

"Then I'm in for one hell of a night," I whistled, feeling the paranoia prey experiences knowing the predator is on the prowl. "See ya, Haruhi. Nice talking."

"You too. I have to find the twins before they get into too much mischief," Haruhi sighed. "I haven't seen them for ten whole minutes."

"Oh boy," I agreed with a grimace. Those hooligans had better not ruin this ball which took a painstaking amount of work-

Arms draped around my shoulders. "Konbanwa, Alexis." Speak of the devil and he appears only I don't think the devil has an evil twin to back him up. "What are you up to?"

"N-nothing really," I stammered in a high-pitched squeaky voice which betrayed my uber edginess.

"Good," one of the twins chuckled darkly, dressed as a little devil with mini red horns poking from his red hair.

"Mother would like a word with you," the other finished with an intimidating expression, but suddenly both of them were shaking my hands and laughing hysterically.

"Man, The Low Blood Pressure Demon King wouldn't let us see his hickey," Hikaru or Kaoru hooted.

"We heard you gave him quite the hickey," the other Hitachiin brother joined in, snorting and doubled over with laughter like the other devil as they leaned against their red tridents.

"We congratulate you," they said in unison. "Do you know where our toy, Haruhi, is?"

"She went searching for you guys by the food," I told them. "Where are Hunny and Mori?"

"Hunny-sempai is getting a kiss from Kanazuki," Hikaru grinned roguishly, making fish lips.

"Naturally, Mori-sempai followed Hunny-sempai," Kaoru shrugged with a devilish smile.

"Ah, and Tamaki?"

"Take a peek at the commoner games and the large crowd composed mostly of females gathered there."

A glance confirmed their statement. "Point taken. And the Shadow King?"

"Behind you," a different and chillingly familiar voice spoke.

I stiffened and groaned as I turned to face my worst nightmare. Ironically, 'When You're Evil' by Voltaire began playing and I wondered if the Halloween spirits had something against me. There he was, the Grim Reaper himself, gazing down upon me but without his scythe and for that I felt faintly reassured. At least Kyouya couldn't chop me up into little pieces. I wondered why the Ohtori kid had suddenly decided to don a costume.

"Konbanwa," Kyouya greeted coolly. "Would you care to dance?"

Very reluctantly, I danced with him to the song I had chosen. Neither of us really said anything, listening to the music or lost in our thoughts. "Interesting musical choices. You had them all translated in Japanese?"

"Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts.

"You translated these songs to Japanese from your iPod?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked calmly arching an eyebrow. "Are you implying something?"

"Perhaps," Kyouya agreed. "The flyers had a hint of flashiness, the games are those American commoners enjoy, the taste in decoration of the ballroom is fascinating, and the music definitely is yours."

"Have you any proof?"

"Your iTunes records are all the proof I need."

"Damn you, Ohtori."

"Watch your language," he whispered coldly.

I glared at him. "I did. I cursed in English and now I'm speaking in Japanese."

"Of course your actions will have consequences," Kyouya went on as the traitor song went on serenading, "_'And it's so easy when you're evil.'_" I believed it. "For skipping those days in the Host Club, you must repay us your debt and had you calculated the amount of yen you might have earned, you could have paid off your cell phone bill and had plenty of yen left."

I gave a weary sigh. "So I'm grounded, right Mom?"

Kyouya smirked. "Your being grounded will enable us to do more club activities which will be fun for the entire family."

"Jerry Seinfield said: 'There is no such thing as fun for the whole family'," I quoted with a scowl. Kyouya chose not to reply. We danced in silence and I accidentally-on-purposely trod on his toes a few times. 'Livin' La Vida Loca' from Shrek came on and I relished the break from waltzing and danced American freestyle. Amazingly but not surprisingly, Kyouya's fangirl, Medusa, came and kidnapped him into dancing with her.

I didn't mind the absence of the Shadow King, but I felt lonely and lost in the crowd without a familiar face. The ballroom seemed much bigger yet much emptier so I went up to the refreshments table and enjoyed two glasses of punch. I retreated back into a corner to observe.

My scheme had done good.

People were having fun, they weren't afraid of the Black Magic Club, the student council and Host Club had indeed deigned to show up, and once again Kyouya managed to find a way to chain me to the Host Club for just a little bit longer.

Life as usual.

After listening to 'The Monster Mash' and 'This is Halloween', I renewed my search for Nekozawa and found him sitting in a corner, basking in the darkness and somewhat quiet. "Hey," I said, joining him in a chair. "Tired of dancing? Or is it the noise and racket?"

"Both," the prince of darkness responded truthfully. "I'm not accustomed to scenes such as this as I explained before. A little peace of mind would do us both good. I assume you would like to dance with me?"

I was embarrassed he could read me so easily. "Well, you're the only person I don't really have to worry about stomping on your toes because you know I'm a bad dancer."

"You're not bad," Nekozawa corrected, "just inexperienced." We conversed about the best costumes, music, cats, and candles, anything that really came to mind. Both of us got to know each other better in seven minutes time when 'The Music of the Night' from Phantom of the Opera caused me to gasp excitedly and drag Nekozawa on the dance floor. We waltzed through 'Double Trouble' from Harry Potter, 'Moonlight Shadow', and 'Poison' one version by Groove Coverage and the other by Alice Cooper.

I noticed the Host Club grouped together once everyone began grudgingly filing out as the masquerade ended.

Haruhi had been tricked by the twins into wearing a princess costume with her girl wig on; the Hitachiin brothers were devious doppelganger devils; Tamaki came as a werewolf; Hunny was an elementary schooler (although he didn't really need the uniform to resemble one) while Mori was a vampire; Kyouya was the Grim Reaper, now complete with scythe.

The Black Magic Club had massed together and could easily be identified with their black robes which they had quickly thrown on after the guests had left. I smiled wryly as I glanced between both groups, wondering which one I belonged to.

The Black Magic Club stayed to begin the tedious and arduous work of tearing down the beautiful masterpiece that had taken so long to make perfect. Funny how something that takes lots of effort can be demolished in seconds. The Host Club graciously joined in the cleaning. I stayed behind and assisted because Nekozawa was my ride back to the mansion and this was _my_ party in a sense.

I sighed as I switched off the Halloween music, rubbing one tired eye. I sighed when I scraped the remaining spaghetti, dirty plates and napkins and plastic silverware, and half-eaten food into the garbage. Hikaru and Kaoru fished in the punch for the remaining spider rings and fake bugs before downing what little liquid there was left.

"Don't want to wreck your magnum opus?"

"Kyouya, it's too late in the night for Latin."

"Magnum opus means masterpiece, Alexis," the Grim Reaper clicked his tongue.

I frowned, stifling a yawn. "Eh, not necessarily…it was a fun party. I hate to see it end because everyone was having so much fun." My eyes wandered to the two clubs working together to clean my mess. "In a way, I wished the night were longer or the masquerade could have lasted forever but it can't."

"Tempus fugit," Kyouya nodded from beside me, "or 'time flies'."

"Time flies when you're having fun," I sighed halfheartedly, shaking my head.

"I've been meaning to ask you this, but what did you mean on that one weekend when you burst from an alley, spotted me, and said 'not you too' in a despairing, frantic tone?" Kyouya implored curiously.

"Oh." My cheeks burned. "_That_."

The black hood bobbed slightly—a nod.

"Erm, well, you see I was kind of running away from someone and being pursued by them…the person was rich like Ouran-rich and so when I saw you it was like a bad reminder in a way…not to mention I didn't want you weaseling me inextricably into the Host Club more than you had already," I explained.

"Hm…"

"You know most people use complete sentences to express their thoughts," I pointed out with a roguish grin. Kyouya slowly turned his head to look at me and shivers whizzed up and down my spine. I was just about to make my escape from the dangerous company of the Shadow King when he seized my forearm.

"Tomorrow at lunch. Don't be late," he warned me.

I flashed a grin over my shoulder. "Yes sir."

"Alexis!" Tamaki had finally spotted me, and rapidly approached with wide open arms and a tearful, happy expression.

I stared at the blonde werewolf in horror. "Oh hell."

O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie Brown, or Beauty and the Beast, or the Sméagol reference (it burns us!), Harry Potter, the Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, _All Star_ by Smash Mouth, _Overture_ by Andrew Lloyd Webber or Phantom of the Opera, _Things That Go Bump In the Night _by Allstars, The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton, _When You're Evil_ by Voltaire, the Jerry Seinfield quote, Livin' La Vida Loca by Antonio Banderas & Eddie Murphy, Shrek, _The Music of the Night_ by Andrew Lloyd Webber, _Double Trouble_, _Moonlight Shadow_, _Poison_, Groove Coverage or Alice Cooper……………………………………………………………………………………………………………_**phew!**_

**Rasen kono**: screw this

**Damatte-yo**: shut up

**Gomen nasai/ gomen**- sorry

**Konbanwa**- good evening


	9. Troublesome Tuesday

Tuesday.

The day after the successful Masquerade.

The day after Halloween.

And, as usual, I was up to my armpits in trouble.

All day long, in or out of class, random students came up to me and asked why I had been assisting the Black Magic Club with the kissing booth if I was a hostess in the Host Club. I merely explained the Black Magic Club had recruited me to gain popularity and their princess didn't want to spend two hours standing in a coffin. Then the students asked, "Well, if you can help their clubs, will you help mine?" or "Will you join the blah-blah club?"

I kept rejecting all offers, but who knew Japanese students could be so persistent?

_All_ of them wanted the American in _their_ club.

I suddenly could sympathize with Helen of Sparta because there were tons of miniature Trojan wars cropping up during the day. I couldn't walk down the hallway without someone offering to carry my backpack, shine my shoes, buy me a uniform, etc. So when I slumped into the library chair across from Kyouya during our lunch period, it was with relief. "Phew!" I sighed. "I finally got away from those psychotic people!"

"I suppose that explains the black wig and stolen male uniform?" Kyouya inquired, eyeing me curiously with raised eyebrows.

"Shut up," I grumbled in English, adjusting my concealing outfit. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind for a disguise, but if I borrowed one from the Host Club I have a feeling it would add up in my 'debt'. I still don't see how I have a debt. I mean, just because I did not work doesn't mean I get a debt; I'm just where I stopped—a standstill."

"Nonetheless, you owe us work for those missed days and lied to the Host Club; lying has consequences such as this feud," Kyouya pointed out, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You have successfully confused the student body. Who are you loyal to? The Host Club or the Black Magic Club? Or are you up for grabs because you helped both?"

"Kyouya, it doesn't take a genius to realize that."

"But," he leaned forward slightly, "what will you do?"

I sighed. "No clue. All I want is _not_ to be the center of attention but you can't always get what you want…I guess your question will take some reflecting."

"Reflect later, we will begin- Pardon, do you want something, miss?" Kyouya asked someone behind me. I half-turned in my seat and tried not to choke on my spit.

'_Medusa!_'

"May I sit here?" Medusa asked breathlessly, wholly focused on Kyouya. I don't think she even noticed me.

"I am terribly sorry, but I am tutoring someone at this time. I can sit with you during Host Club hours as long as you wish." Wow, Kyouya had his pseudo-happy act on warp drive. He was smiling for heaven's sake!

"O-okay," Medusa murmured timidly with a visible blush. I stared at her as she walked past Kyouya and glared daggers at me, hair lifting and hissing at me. My eye twitched. '_Mother of Zeus, she really_ is _Medusa_. _Greek and Roman gods save me! Snap, I think she recognized me…that's definitely not good.'_

"Alexis, is something wrong?"

My eyes snapped back to Kyouya and I leaned my head on my hand with a wistful expression, feeling philosophical and rhetorical. "There's always something wrong." His piercing black eyes found my gray ones and locked; I felt him probing and analyzing but what I could not tell. "_'Stars move slowly in a silvery night, far away on the other side. Will you come to talk to me this night, but she couldn't find how to push through…caught in the middle of a hundred and five, the night way heavy and the air was alive, but she couldn't find how to push through…'_"

I really had no clue as to why I was singing bits of 'Moonlight Shadow' to myself or why I was singing period. "_'We were meant to live for so much more, have we lost ourselves?'_" I stopped and withdrew further into my mind, unaware of Kyouya's scrutiny, the hushed voices in the library, or the sun shining through the window on my face.

'_Man, what a mess. I think I'll stick to small conspiracies from now on but Kyouya was nice enough to allow last night to be a huge success by permitting the Host Club to attend…he's also allowed me to get money for working for the Host Club and quit when I want…he's tutoring me even though he didn't have to…and gotten me a phone even if he's charging me. Wow, the Shadow King really isn't that ice cold. His subtle deeds of kindness are difficult to catch unless you really think on it. I should thank him.'_

I surfaced from my brooding with a smile. "Arigatou."

"What for?" Kyouya asked, setting his Pineapple laptop on the table.

I rolled my eyes. "Like you don't know."

"Really, I don't."

"For such a genius, you're a retard."

Kyouya glared at me. "I think not. You become dark and broody, then suddenly come out of your fit thanking me. I fail to see the connection."

"So you can't read minds," I giggled as he continued to scowl. I continued to smile at him. "I'm thanking you for the many nice things you've done for me."

"I am an egoist. I don't do 'nice' for anyone other than myself," Kyouya responded coolly.

I rolled my eyes. "In denial. Why are you tutoring me?"

"Because the deal is mutually beneficial and as you pointed out, I waste no money," he answered with his eyes on the glowing screen, fingers tapping away.

"The cell phone?"

He had a reply for that too. "I have a way to contact you where ever and whenever necessary."

"Coming to last night's party?"

"Mere curiosity."

"Uh huh." I was running out of good deeds. "Allowing me to work at the Host Club-"

"Profits."

"I wasn't finished! You also said I could quit the Host Club whenever I wished."

"I won't force you to do something against your will," Kyouya responded simply, glancing up at me. "I've found Americans are cooperative when they have most of their freedom otherwise I would have a revolution on my hands."

I ran out of those 'kind' actions. "Damn you, Ohtori."

"What have I told you about that?"

"Whatever, Kyouya, what_ever_," I scowled at him. "I admit you have a legitimate excuse for nearly everything and your egoist guise can fool most people. I may not be able to explain it at the moment, but I believe you did all that stuff without the word 'ego' even occurring to you."

"That's an interesting view," the raven-haired Ohtori mused.

"See! If you were truly coldhearted, you would have said 'you keep telling yourself that'," I complained, feeling confused. I couldn't explain or prove it, but Kyouya was not an egoist despite what he said.

I saw a suppressed real smile on his face and amusement gleam in those usually cool black eyes. "You keep telling yourself that."

"Ack! I give up for now!" I huffed.

The smile didn't fade. "Good because you've wasted ten minutes of tutoring so be prepared to make it up."

I gaped at him incredulously. "_What?! _That's messed up, Kyouya!_"_ I swear that smile grew a millimeter bigger.

O-o-O-o-O

Unbeknownst to Alexis, the Black Magic Club had been keeping its own tabs on the American transfer. Okay, mostly it was the President. Nekozawa had pledged to discover who had set up the successful party and he suspected it was his foreign schoolmate. He had seen her dusting during the weekend while listening to her iPod and the dark prince recognized some of the songs.

During the masquerade, Nekozawa had also overheard the conversation between Alexis and Kyouya when they were dancing. The scene replayed in his mind.

"_Konbanwa," Kyouya greeted coolly. "Would you care to dance?"_

_Very reluctantly, Alexis chose to dance with the young Ohtori to the song 'When You're Evil' by Voltaire—one of the songs Nekozawa had heard Alexis hum while cleaning on Sunday. Neither of the pair really said anything, listening to the music or lost in their thoughts. Kyouya spoke first. "Interesting musical choices. You had them all translated in Japanese?"_

"_Huh?" Alexis snapped out of her thoughts. _

"_You translated these songs to Japanese from your iPod?" _

"_What are you talking about?" she asked calmly arching an eyebrow. "Are you implying something?"_

"_Perhaps," Kyouya agreed. "The flyers had a hint of flashiness, the games are those American commoners enjoy, the taste in decoration of the ballroom is fascinating, and the music definitely is yours."_

"_Have you any proof?"_

"_Your iTunes records are all the proof I need."_

"_Damn you, Ohtori."_

Nekozawa had done some research and found that all of the songs were Alexis's and his computer data bank told him every one of those songs had been transferred to Japanese from her iPod. The discovery had fueled his suspicions of his tricky maid. It would explain the excellent impersonation because she lived in his home and knew his habits. Just the iTunes records alone were convincing, but he had also eavesdropped on another conversation.

_Nekozawa trailed after Alexis in secret, cleaning within earshot. He heard her sighing a lot and it sounded regretful. Apparently he wasn't the only one to notice this. Kyouya walked up to Alexis. __"Don't want to wreck your magnum opus?"_

"_Kyouya, it's too late in the night for Latin."_

"_Magnum opus means masterpiece, Alexis," the Grim Reaper clicked his tongue._

_Alexis frowned, stifling a yawn. "Eh, not necessarily…it was a fun party. I hate to see it end because everyone was having so much fun." Her eyes wandered to the two clubs working together to clean the ballroom. "In a way, I wished the night were longer or the masquerade could have lasted forever but it can't."_

'Eh, not necessarily' she had said and subtly admitted to arranging the party, but she could not have done it alone; following more nagging qualms, the dark prince had wrung confessions from Kuretake and Kadomatsu. They told him everything to the last detail and Nekozawa didn't punish the maid or butler for their involvement. He had one question.

Why? Why would Alexis help the Black Magic Club?

"Ah, Nekozawa-senpai."

The prince of darkness emerged from his thoughts to see the student council president standing before him. "Hai?"

"The…yesterday's party was…the Black Magic Club is no longer in danger of being disbanded," he told the Nekozawa. "The money your club earned will last for some time and the performance compared to that of the Host Club. Excellent job on making it not too scary."

Nekozawa stood in stunned silence as he watched the student council president walk away. The club was saved. She had done it…she had saved the Black Magic Club…

"We will have to commemorate this, Bereznoff," the President of the Black Magic Club chuckled.

O-o-O-o-O

I hummed as I wiped the stair banisters clean after Kirimi and I had slid down them a handful of times. _'I'm getting better at erasing evidence,'_ I thought proudly, _'Sometimes it's more fun to get caught though. Life is so much duller when you don't get caught, but at least you can tell stories about it when you're a cheeky grandparent.'_

"Alexis."

I paused and glanced behind me to see Nekozawa standing with a serious expression on his face two stairs above me. I flashed him a small smile. "Konnichiwa, Nekozawa-sama."

"You may stop working, Alexis, but follow me," the prince of darkness ordered without an explanation to his coldness as he turned and began climbing up the stairs.

Before I could help it, I blurted, "Why?" As a distrustful person, I questioned everything even myself.

"You are in no position of authority to question my commands," he responded in an eerily deadpan voice, reminding me of Kyouya. I gaped at his back as he continued down a hallway without looking back. Nekozawa seemed rather certain I was following him.

I swallowed nervously. _'Maybe he's possessed,'_ I pondered, feeling anxious. _'I wonder if he found out about yesterday's fiesta and is pissed about what I did. Oh man! I've never seen Nekozawa mad! I barely get mad and when I do, even I consider myself scary; imagine what the wrath of Nekozawa must be like!'_ I shivered as I eyed my master's back fearfully.

Suddenly the black-robed figure stopped and I held my breath.

'_Here it comes!'_ I mentally squeaked, tensing as I squeezed my eyes shut. My ears detected his robes brushing against the carpet as he turned to face me.

"Alexis."

'_I'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodie! He's going to stab me, then chop me into little pieces, and scatter my bits all over the house so no one will ever find out!'_

"Open your eyes!"

'_No! No! I don't want to but I have to!'_

I bit my bottom lip and held my breath again, rearing my head back vaguely as I peered through one eye.

Nekozawa was smiling. So was Bereznoff.

I cautiously opened the other eye, ready to flinch if an attack came.

Nekozawa stepped forward and suddenly wrapped his arms around me, burying his face into my shoulder. I stiffened at first before slowly relaxing. _'What was going on? Isn't Nekozawa angry?'_ I wondered, bewildered as Bereznoff hugged the side of my face, kissing my cheek over and over.

"Wh-What's going on?" I asked confusedly.

"Thank you for arranging that masquerade yesterday," Nekozawa whispered into my ear, his breath tickling my ear. "The Black Magic Club is no longer in danger of being shut down! Arigatou! Arigatou!" He gave me an excited squeeze.

My face was fluxing between pale and red, pale because he did find out, red because he was too close for comfort and his stupid voice was hitching my breathing. "Y-Your welc-come, but…aren't you…angry?"

Nekozawa leaned back, but his arms were still around me and there was a broad smile on his face. His blue eyes shone from behind the locks of the green-black wig. "Why would I be angry?" Bereznoff was still snuggling with the side of my face which was beginning to go numb.

"Because!" I exclaimed. "I imitated you, used your props and stuff, and could have sped up the disbanding of your club to Christmas! The plan could have backfired!"

"Not on us. You would have stepped up to take the blame," Nekozawa smiled, now using his creepy smile, not his genuine, sweet smile.

"…How did you know that?"

"Kuretake and Kadomatsu told me."

I scowled. "I thought I told them not to spill the beans."

Nekozawa leaned forward again and gently kissed my cheek. "Thank you," he whispered almost inaudibly before he withdrew slowly with a soft, happy smile. I watched him go in stunned silence as he turned and disappeared in the darkness he was born from.

I numbly felt the place he had kissed to see if the flesh had melted away because it was burning.

'_I guess that's why people say I'm so happy I could kiss you…'_

O-o-O-o-O

Kyouya sat back from his Pineapple laptop in his room to rest his eyes for a moment. He gazed at the ceiling, replaying the day in his mind, especially one particularly interesting part.

"_Arigatou."_

"_What for?" _

"_Like you don't know."_

"_Really, I don't."_

"_For such a genius, you're a retard."_

"_I think not. You become dark and broody, then suddenly come out of your fit thanking me. I fail to see the connection."_

"_So you can't read minds. I'm thanking you for the many nice things you've done for me."_

"_I am an egoist. I don't do 'nice' for anyone other than myself." _

"_In denial. Why are you tutoring me?"_

"_Because the deal is mutually beneficial and as you pointed out, I waste no money."_

"_The cell phone?"_

"_I have a way to contact you where ever and whenever necessary."_

"_Coming to last night's party?"_

"_Mere curiosity."_

"_Uh huh. Allowing me to work at the Host Club-"_

"_Profits."_

"_I wasn't finished! You also said I could quit the Host Club whenever I wished."_

"_I won't force you to do something against your will. I've found Americans are cooperative when they have most of their freedom otherwise I would have a revolution on my hands."_

"_Damn you, Ohtori." _

Kyouya could still picture her desperate expression as she had tried and failed to prove he wasn't an egoist. She knew. She saw right through to him, but couldn't explain it in words. He knew she knew. He knew she saw. Kyouya could still remember her next words as he tried to persuade her into believing the façade many fell for.

"_Whatever, Kyouya, whatever," She scowled at him. "I admit you have a legitimate excuse for nearly everything and your egoist guise can fool most people. I may not be able to explain it at the moment, but I believe you did all that stuff without the word 'ego' even occurring to you."_

"_That's an interesting view."_

"_See! If you were truly coldhearted, you would have said 'you keep telling yourself that'!" _

"_You keep telling yourself that."_

"_Ack! I give up for now!" She huffed, crossing her arms as she leaned back in the chair with an impressive glare._

Kyouya was amused by her little tantrum. "Try as much as you please," he murmured to himself. "No one has ever gotten through."

Except Tamaki.

Except Haruhi.

O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: I don't own _Moonlight Shadow_, _Meant to Live_ by Switchfoot, and _You Look So Fine_ by Garbage.

Sorry about taking so long to update! Inspiration took a sharp nose dive off the nearest cliff before I could use my author powers to save her. Judging by my little bursts of writing, Inspiration survived the fall. I just have to find her again. sigh So in the mean time, updates will be slow. My apologies!


	10. Truth or Dare?

I hate fangirls.

They moon over their treasured icon shamelessly and snap on anyone with less adoration for the same icon as they. Or they are just plain nasty to someone they consider a threat. Or someone who is not a member of their icon-obsessed society.

If you piss off a fangirl, you piss them all off.

If you piss them all off, you've got serious trouble because you become their favorite 'must destroy' target.

See why I hate fangirls?

What's even _worse_ is when said fangirls decide they no longer want to destroy you but get a burning desire to make your life a miserable living hell-on-earth.

My situation, for example, is a week after the successful Halloween party; _very _persistent, annoying clubs were still after me. They popped up randomly, scaring me, and began bombarding me with questions about my loyalty and if I would join their club. They told me that I worked in the Host Club and yet had assisted the Black Magic Club with the Halloween party. Why shouldn't I 'help' their clubs? So I made up off-the-top-of-my-head excuses or just ran away.

What does this have to do with fangirls?

Well, Kyouya's club of psychotic, rich, pansy but frighteningly intelligent fangirls decided it would be _funny_ to stalk me with a megaphone, announcing the whereabouts of my location periodically to any of these desperate clubs and their members.

With being randomly attacked by Ouran students and half deaf from the high-pitched screech of a fangirl yelling in a megaphone in my vicinity, it made me a little _paranoid_ and _twitchy_. I even developed handy fangirl senses, like Spiderman and his spidey senses, and carried around a small but powerful water gun with me at all times during school hours.

The Host Club forbade me to handle the squirt gun during hosting hours and I could relax in Nekozawa's mansion.

You can guess where I began spending most of my time.

Speaking of the Host Club, Tamaki declared an official Commoner's Day meaning Haruhi and I were the sources of entertainment for the rest of the club.

"I see why you're so apathetic," I sighed to my fellow commoner.

"Hai," Haruhi nodded. "We better think of a way to entertain them quickly or we could be in trouble."

"Agreed. Uhm, how about a game of Tag?" I suggested to the rich folk gazing at us.

"Tag?" the Hitachiin twins repeated.

"It's a game where one person is It. They try to tag someone else so the other person is It," I explained. "The people who are not It can run away from It so they aren't tagged."

"It sounds boringly simple," Hikaru or Kaoru frowned.

"Is there another game?" the other twin.

"Hide-and-Seek?" Haruhi suggested.

"We already played that," Hunny spoke up, playing with Bun-Bun's ears.

Haruhi tried something else. "Red Light, Green Light?"

"Daughter, I trust in you to think of something creative and new," Tamaki told Haruhi dramatically as he grasped her shoulders.

"Please remove your hands," Haruhi said with faint annoyance.

I bit my lip as I eyed the quickly deteriorating situation as I racked my brain for a game rich brats couldn't possibly have played before. I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Truth or Dare?"

The rest of the Host Club stopped and stared at me as Haruhi's eyes widened in horror. "No, Alexis! Any other game but that one! Do you-mghhh!" The Hitachiin brothers held one of their hands over Haruhi's mouth, restraining her as the girl tried to pry their hands off her lips.

The twins exchanged evil grins. "This must be good, Hikaru," Kaoru chuckled.

"Since our toy does not wish to play it," Hikaru cackled.

"What is Truth or Dare?" Kyouya inquired, obviously interested. All of them were with the exception of the struggling Haruhi.

"Truth or Dare is a game of truth or daring. You ask anyone 'Truth or Dare' and if the person answers truth, you can ask them _any_ question and they _have to_ answer the truth. However, if they pick dare, you can dare them to do _anything_ and they _have to_ do it," I explained, already experiencing ominous foreboding.

"_Anything_," the twins echoed with spooky Cheshire smiles creeping on their faces. They dropped their hands from Haruhi's mouth because she had stopped struggling.

Haruhi gave me a wide-eyed look of utter horror. "What have you done?"

What _had_ I done?

"This game requires an appropriate setting," Kyouya spoke up with his glasses gleaming menacingly. He gestured toward several lie detectors and personal staff that had mysteriously appeared in the Third Music Room. "These lie detectors and people will determine whether someone is lying. It is possible to lie and bypass the machine, but there is no way you can get past the experts."

Ten minutes of protests, struggling, and wiring later, everyone was sitting in their own personal chair with people monitoring heart rate, brain waves, and blood pressure with their fancy machinery. I shot Haruhi an apologetic glance and she shrugged.

"We can begin," Kyouya announced.

"Who goes first, Alexis-chan?" Hunny inquired with an irresistible smile.

I shrugged. "I'll go first since I suggested the game. Kyouya, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

I grinned, ready for this. "Kyouya, are you really an egoist?"

"No," he answered calmly, glaring at me. I had a feeling this would come back to bite me.

"What happens now?" Tamaki asked.

"Kyouya gets to ask anyone, including me, Truth or Dare but for everyone's sake, no wars between two people. It gets boring and annoying very quickly," I told them.

Kyouya's black eyes roved over everyone until they landed on his victim. "Truth or Dare, Alexis?"

I scowled. "Fine…Hm, I think I'm a sliver safer if I choose Truth. Shakespeare was wise when he said, 'I like not fair terms and a villain's mind.'"

I didn't like the way Kyouya stared at me without blinking, especially when he began speaking. "Alexis, how many men have you kissed?"

"What kind of a question is that?!" I demanded, flushing.

The Shadow King smirked. "So your weakness is sexual topics as I suspected. Remember, Alexis, you have to answer the question or there will be consequences."

"Like what?" I challenged, wanting to know which option would be worse.

"Anyone who fails to lies during a Truth or fails a Dare has to be the slave of the person who asked the question," Kyouya stated. The Hitachiin brothers exchanged a glance. Haruhi paled. Tamaki peeked out of the corner of his eye at Haruhi. Mori had no expression and Hunny didn't look worried in the least.

"I haven't kissed any men," I answered truthfully and I'm sure Kyouya was sorely disappointed when the lie detector didn't buzz. "Truth or Dare…Mori?"

"Dare."

'_Ah, the first brave fool,'_ I thought as I flashed the Host Club a smile rarely seen, a smile that meant trouble, a predator's smile. "Alright, Takashi," I smirked, feeling dangerous. "I dare you to…do the chicken dance…with a smile on your face while…wearing a chicken costume!"

Mori looked stunned. Hunny giggled. The twins burst out laughing while Tamaki and Haruhi had the decency to cover their mouths to somewhat hold in their laughter. However, when Mori actually performed the chicken dance, complete with costume and a pained smile, everyone laughed. Kyouya 'took a drink' from his tea but everyone knew he was trying not to laugh; to do so would ruin his image.

"Mitsukuni, Truth or Dare?"

Hunny looked up bravely at his guardian. "Dare."

"I dare you to decrease the number of sweets you eat in half," Mori stated firmly as Hunny paled, "_for a week_." The poor Lolita midget looked betrayed and soulless when he slumped in his chair.

"It's for the best, Hunny," Haruhi reassured the disconsolate senior from her seat. "Besides, it's unhealthy to eat as many sweets as you do-"

"Damatte-yo," Hunny hissed, keeping his head down. Everyone shivered faintly as a dark, angry aura diffused from the usually good-natured, vertically-challenged boy. "Tamaki…Truth or _Dare?_"

The blonde King quivered on his throne. "T-Truth."

Hunny lifted his head a little and everyone saw a murderous gleam in his hardened brown eyes. "_Tamaki._"

"Yes?" squeaked he.

"Tamaki, do you…have affections for Haruhi?"

Everyone else in the Host Club held their breath as they all gazed at Tamaki, who had gone red. I gasped quietly to myself as my eyes flickered to Haruhi's cheeks as they slowly grew pinker. _'Ah, they both have affections for each other!' _

"Of course," Tamaki replied in a slightly strangled tone as he tried to appear casual. "She's my daughter. How could I not have affections for her?" Nearly everyone's eyes twitched. I stared sadly at the blushing blonde and the brunette who was lost in her thoughts. _'That's not the type of affection, Tamaki, you dense baka!'_ I silently screamed at the oblivious King.

"This is boring," the Hitachiin brothers scowled, crossing their arms. "Why hasn't anyone picked us yet?" Haruhi and I exchanged a glanced that meant we knew perfectly well _why_ they hadn't been chosen.

"Okay! Hikaru and Kaoru, Truth or Dare?" Tamaki asked cheerfully.

"Dare!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"We're not afraid," Hikaru boasted.

"Oh?" Tamaki smirked. "I dare both of you to…STOP SEXUALLY HARASSING MY DAUGHTER!" The King of the Host Club, huffing and puffing with rage, gave the disappointed brothers the Evil Eye.

"Yeah, yeah," Kaoru agreed, rolling his gold eyes.

"Whatever," Hikaru sighed, rolling his eyes as well.

Everyone in the room was nervous. The devious doppelgangers had an infamous reputation for being masters of pranks and practical jokes, tricksters, hooligans, and worse, bullies. I eyed the ground in hopes of avoiding being singled out by the ruthless twins, who were chuckling to themselves and sending glances at all of the Host Club members.

"Haruhi, Truth or Dare?" both brothers chuckled in spooky, demonic voices.

Haruhi froze. "T-Truth," she answered shakily.

"Will you let us go over to your house on the weekend?" Hikaru and Kaoru inquired hopefully.

"No," Haruhi responded flatly. "Tamaki-senpai, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Tamaki chose, feeling his precious daughter would not make her father do something horrible.

"I dare you to…to…" She trailed off, "to…stop referring to me as your daughter."

"But Haruhi," the flabbergast Tamaki protested, "th-the family unit! Please reconsider your dare, my daughter!"

"Tamaki, you are now Haruhi's slave until she decides to release you," Kyouya told the King. The twins each pointed a finger at Tamaki and laughed. I, myself, smirked faintly and arched an eyebrow. _'This ought to be interesting considering they have huge crushes for each other. A budding love. I wonder how long Haruhi will make Tamaki her slave…probably not more than two days. She won't be able to stand him that long hanging around her.'_

"I was wondering something," I spoke up as I realized a potential problem. "How can Hunny eat half his normal intake of sweets if we don't know how much he consumes in a day?"

"I've calculated the average," Kyouya answered. "I will give Mori the papers as soon as they are done printing." At this, one of the staff members exited to fetch said results.

"Nice, Kyouya," I smiled wryly, shaking my head.

"Thank you," he replied coolly as he stood. "I believe it is time for us all to return home. One of my staff notified me that the school officials are going to close the gates. We have five minutes."

I pried all the wires and suckers off my skin and burst from the lie detector seat. "I'll race you to the gates, Hikaru, Kaoru!" I grabbed my bag as I took off with the Hitachiin brothers breathing down my neck.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"There you are," Nekozawa exclaimed as I wobbled in the front door, panting heavily and sweating profusely. "We were about to call the authorities. Kuretake, bring water. Kadomatsu, bring a change of clothes for Alexis."

I leaned against a wall and slid to the floor, lightheaded. "Ugh, a-a-arigatou" –cough—"Nekozawa." I sucked down the blessed icy water which Kuretake had the foresight to add ice cubes to. As for the change of clothes, that I didn't take to so readily. "A…dress?"

"Consider it your punishment for being late," Nekozawa smiled eerily.

"And for worrying us," added Kirimi in an unusually motherly scolding tone, having trailed after Kadomatsu, and demanded, "Why were you late?"

"Truth or Dare," I sighed, wiping my sticky forehead with the back of my hand. "I'll explain after I change into this…thing." I wrinkled my nose while holding my penalty-on-a-hanger as far away from my person as my arm could.

O-o-O-o-O

"You look so pretty," gasped Kirimi as I finally, and reluctantly, emerged from my bedroom. I pursed my lips at her comment, refusing to look anywhere but forward; I may have lost my pride, but I still had my dignity to maintain.

What was so horrible about a dress?

Girls should like dresses because they are girls, right?

Well, a tomboy doesn't like dresses.

Especially not dresses that are every shade of _pink_, had a _criss-cross_ back so most of my backside felt exposed and naked, or the awful number of _petticoats_ underneath the dress.

There was one thing I didn't mind so much: I got to wear my pink heart-shaped necklace with the thick chain because it matched. The weight reminded me to be alert which kept me from falling on my face due to the accused _dark pink heels_.

"She's missing something," Kuretake frowned. Kadomatsu was cleaning up dinner leftovers and Nekozawa…he was doing something, whatever he did in his spare time.

"Costmetics, hair style, and a tiara," Kirimi exclaimed, pointing up at my poor face.

"This isn't part of the punishment!" I protested as Kuretake dragged me back into my bedroom. I couldn't put up a good fight because of the heels.

"It is now," Kirimi said, closing my door behind her.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"I hate you all," I scowled.

Kirimi's blue eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill as I divided my heated glare between her and Kuretake. Some may call me coldhearted and callous, but I ignored the little preschooler's fit while making a face. The butler and maid attempted to comfort their mini mistress while I snuck a side glance at Nekozawa; I swear, in the shadows of his sable hood, I saw a faint, fleeting smile playing about his lips, but I couldn't be sure.

"What is Truth or Dare?" Nekozawa asked me. Kirimi mysteriously stopped crying.

I explained the rules again. "Who wants to go first?" I offered.

"Me!" the blonde preschooler volunteered. "Onii-san, Truth or Dare?" I had a feeling what Kirimi's dare would be if Nekozawa chose the latter of the two.

Apparently, so did he. "Truth."

Kirimi slowly seated herself in a tall, red velvet chair, thinking. "Onii-san, do you really study all the time?"

"No," Nekozawa admitted, lowering his head in shame. "Sometimes I think you fear me, Kirimi, like you fear the dark…and I don't want to frighten you." The last part came out so quietly I had to lean forward and strain my ears to hear. "I want…I want to…Never mind."

'_He wants to say 'I want to spend time with you!'_ I realized.

"Truth or Dare, Alexis?"

'_Crap.'_

"…Dare?" I chose sheepishly.

That evil smile that induced foreboding played on Nekozawa's lips now. I quickly wondered if I had made a mistake, but kept my face neutral. A (what felt like) nine-month pregnant pause later, the prince of darkness spoke after consulting Bereznoff a couple times. "Am I allowed to save my dare?" he inquired.

I shrugged, half relieved, half wary. "Sure. Uhm, Kirimi, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," the preschooler declared with a brave face.

"I dare you to throw your clothes away in the laundry shoot for two whole weeks," I smirked, using the game as an advantage to lessen my chores.

Kirimi pouted, but shot back, "Alexis, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." What could a little preschooler do?

"I dare you and Onii-san to act out my favorite shojo scene," the devilish pint-sized fiend squealed with delight as Nekozawa and I paled in horror. I shot him an apologetic glance and smile. Kirimi disappeared through the door to grab the shojo magazine.

"Damn, she said act out," I whispered with a scowl, repeating her words in my head. "At least it's only a scene."

"I don't trust shojo magazines," Nekozawa whispered back. "This could be forgettable or unforgettable. I'll make a quick prayer for a turn of luck."

"Make sure it's the good kind of luck or we're screwed," I told him as Kirimi re-entered with a daunting stack of shojo magazines.

"I know indefinitely I will be a princely character because my imooto-san prefers those shojo magazines," Nekozawa assured me, or rather himself.

"Yeah, while I'm stuck playing a wuss," I grumbled to myself, crossing my arms and eyeing the blonde, deceptively cute little girl flipping through the magazine pages before me. Perhaps she was related to Nekozawa; she had a hint of his twisted side or maybe it rubbed off on her. In the mean time, Kuretake was helping Kirimi pick out some, but the preschooler shook her head most of the time.

I sincerely hoped the maid was on our side.

"_Oui, chere_," Kirimi sighed in French to herself. Those two words being the most banal ones in French that everyone knew- like everyone knew 'hola' was Spanish for 'hello'—I knew 'oui' meant 'yes' and 'chere' meant 'dear'.

Bad premonitions.

Very _bad_ ones.

"Nekozawa, your sister scares me more than Kyouya in this game," I muttered through the side of my mouth. And that was saying something.

"Here you go." Kirimi held out a brightly colored magazine with an equally bright smile. I didn't want to get it so Nekozawa did. He moved a few paces away from Kirimi before reviewing it and almost immediately his face exploded with red, causing the prince of darkness to make strangled sounds and cough a few times.

Wordlessly, Nekozawa handed me what was to be the script. I bit my bottom lip.

Yup, Nekozawa had been right. There was a princely character in there.

The scene began with kissing…very _passionately_ kissing…

"Kuretake, you read _this_ to a _preschooler_, much less my little _sister_!" I heard Nekozawa hiss at the maid quietly when he pulled her aside. She said something apologetic and being unable to correct her error because the damage had been done. Partially paying attention to their conversation, I felt the room temperature rising and I began hyperventilating until I finally had to look away, whimpering.

"This is worse than the punishment I'm already enduring," I groaned, referring to my princess get-up.

"Come on!" Kirimi began to complain. "Hurry up! I wanna see this!"

"Let's just get this over with," I grumbled to Nekozawa as I stood clumsily, gripping the script with unnecessary force. I began to shuffle toward my scowling prince when I stepped on my dress, causing me to trip and crash into Nekozawa, which in turn, caused us to fall to the floor and Nekozawa's cowl and wig to slip off…and our lips to collide rather painfully.

"Ow," we both muttered, wincing. I heard Kirimi gasp with excitement and remembered the magazine. Surely that accidental smooch counted so I began to read, albeit with some soreness in my voice from the fall, "Oh dearest Ouji-sama, you have magic in you and though I despise your kind, I am hopelessly vexed. Please, please be kind enough to this poor maiden to release her from this spell."

Nekozawa recited without relish, "How can I, sweet maiden with sugar lips? How can I release you from the spell that ensnares us both? Do we really want to break this spell?"

"No," I said with as much lack of enthusiasm as possible. I had finally found the loop hole in Kirimi's statement, but it was a mistake a preschooler wouldn't realize: she had said act, not act _realistically_.

Nekozawa and I quickly pecked lips which earned a "boo!" from Kirimi, who wanted the full blown French kiss as shown in the erm, drawing. Luckily, a page was taken up with a huge snogging session and the scene end was in sight.

"Pristine lips…" Nekozawa murmured awkwardly, lobster-red. "Periwinkle eyes…"

"'I can express no kinder sign of love than this kind kiss'," I quoted, realizing that line had been directly from one of Shakespeare's masterpieces. Nekozawa and I kissed again, or pretended to; we pecked on the very edges where the lips curve most.

"'Thou hast the sweetest face I ever looked on.'" Man, these guys ripped out bits of Shakespeare text and threw it in their magazines!

"'You, o you, so perfect and so peerless are created of every creature's best!'"

"'The fairest hand I ever touched; O beauty, till now I never knew thee.'"

"'I would not wish any companion in the world but you.'" One last raunchy kiss and end scene. Nekozawa and I flew away from each other. I quickly spluttered, "Truth or Dare, Nekozawa?" To my horror, I felt my heart begging to leap through my ribcage and at Nekozawa's feet, worse—I wanted another kiss.

"Dare," he gasped, yanking on his wig and hood.

"I dare you to follow my whispered orders!" I said as I ran over to him, whispering hurriedly in his ear.

"Kuretake, please take Kirimi to her quarters. It's her bedtime…" Nekozawa stated and we waited as a kicking and screaming Kirimi was hauled forcefully from the room.

"Hide these horrid magazines so this never happens again," I told him quietly, "and never tell Kirimi, me, or anyone. That's the end of my orders." Nekozawa gladly went to obey them with haste.

"Oh, and Nekozawa," I called to him. The prince of darkness turned. "Please remind me to sue the company that produces those shojo magazines for plagiarism."

O-o-O-o-O

"Darn, I can't sue because Shakespeare is dead and they already covered that beforehand," I cursed, repeating what Nekozawa had told me. I strode down the dimly lit hallway for the room Kirimi had spilled a glass of milk and my job was to clean it up.

I shut the door behind me as I spotted the fresh white stain against expensive navy carpeting. "There you are," I muttered as I advanced upon my enemy. Swiftly, I ran toward it and knelt, mopping up the liquid before it could further damage the carpet. I squeezed the cloth over a bucket I'd brought and eyed the milk as it splashed into prison.

"Now I have to vacuum the area," I told myself, nodding at my work. I tossed the milk on the grass outside the window. It was blindingly bright outside, but then again, I hadn't been outside all day. The alluring fragrance of cut grass and blooming flowers sorely tempted me to climb out the window and run in the grass, spinning in circles, laughing, tilting my head toward the sun and smile back at the yellow orb…

I shook my head. "Later I'll sneak out," I whispered to myself, grinning, as I shut the window and drew the thick curtains shut. I turned, holding the bucket, and frowned. My eyes had adjusted to the outside light and now I couldn't see my hand in front of my face.

"I really am stupid," I muttered, inching forward as my eyes adjusted with agonizing slowness. My foot caught on a cord and I bumped into a table which caused me to drop the bucket. That wasn't the only thing that dropped. I heard a muted thud of a metallic object colliding with the carpeting.

A haunting, childish lullaby by piano began to play and I listened. The tune was familiar. "_Dancing bears…painted wings…Things I almost remember and a song someone sings once upon a December," _a female voice sang and I gasped softly, recognizing the tune from the movie Anastasia.

I sang along as I awkwardly groped in the dark for what must be a metal music box. "_Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully across my memory………Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully across my memory. Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember, things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember…"_

Judging by the increasing volume of the beautiful music, I was getting warmer.

"_And a song someone sings…once…upon a…Decemberrrr…"_

My eyes had fully altered so I could see again. My fingers closed around what was indeed a music box and I gently picked it up, then bringing it near my face. The music box was an exact replica of the one in the movie. I set the music box on the table respectfully.

As my fingers left the small, squarish music box, an epiphany whispered in my ear.

And I listened.

The epiphany was telling me how to slice off a remarkable chunk from my debt.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club, William Shakespeare or his quote, any of the games mentioned above, Shakespeare quotes, Anastasia or 'Once Upon a December', etc.

**Damatte-yo**: shut up

**Onii-san**: older brother

**Imooto-san**: younger sister

**Hola**: (Sp) hello

**Oui**: (Fr) (pronounced 'we') yes

**Chere**: (Fr) dear


	11. Renge

Kyouya stared at the notice hanging from the golden doorknob of the Third Music Room.

"Host Club not meeting today?" he repeated from the sign. "I will call Tamaki later about the door hanger. Why was I never informed of this decision?" The raven-haired genius strode away from the locked Host Club room and wondered how to occupy his suddenly free time.

O-o-O-o-O

"Is he gone?" Tamaki whispered to Hikaru and Kaoru who had their ears pressed against the door.

The twins carefully and quietly dashed away from the door with mischievous glee. "Kyouya believed the note," Hikaru panted gently while chuckling.

"We're not in any danger of being heard," Kaoru grinned.

"Good," I told my agents as I flashed them a smile. "Hunny and Mori are standing outside pretending to wait for their limo. They should tell us when Kyouya's limo has pulled away."

"In the mean time, tell us what we are doing," Haruhi demanded with crossed arms and an arched eyebrow.

"My friends, we are going to make a music video!" I told them.

"Then why isn't Kyouya going to be in it?" The Hitachiin brothers asked in unison.

"Because he is going to judge it," I explained. "We create the video and tomorrow present it to Kyouya so we can post it on the website, which will increase the number of people looking at the site and therefore increase our popularity. But Kyouya needs to slash my and/or Haruhi's debt by a third."

"So you want to stab the Shadow King in the back and loosen his hold on you at the same time," the twins interpreted slyly.

I blushed. "Pretty much."

Haruhi shook her head. "You and Kyouya-sempai become more and more similar every day."

"I resent that!"

"Sssh!" Tamaki hissed as he cranked the volume on the walkie talkie.

"_Kyouya exited the building…he's coming toward us," _Hunny whispered. The walkie talkie Hunny had was a little earpiece which was hidden by the Lolita boy's blonde hair, but the transmitter was a black choker with a miniature speaker where the person talked into. To conceal the microphone, Hunny decorated Bun-Bun with the choker, a cute shirt, and colorful, beady bracelets adorned his pink arms.

All of us gathered around the walkie talkie and held our breaths as we heard Kyouya speak, "_Hello Mori. Hello Hunny. I see you decided to dress Bun-Bun."_

"_Isn't Bun-Bun adorable?" _Hunny cooed, "_A girl I was hosting yesterday suggested dressing Bun-Bun and I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did."_

"_Waiting for your limo?"_

Mori grunted and Hunny started to prattle. "_Yeah. Since there's no Host Club today, I can attend that field trip at the delicious cake truffle factory that I really really wanted to go to. They show you how they make the chocolate so smooth and creamy…" _The sweets-loving blonde went on and on about the field trip that was not taking place.

"_I hope you enjoy your time there," _Kyouya wished to Hunny, "_but my ride is here. See you two tomorrow." _

Those of us inside the Third Music Room heard a vehicle pull up and indistinct voices. There was the sound of tires rolling over gravel that grew distant.

"_He's gone. We're coming back," _Hunny announced.

"Wait," I told them. "Is Kyouya's limo out of sight?"

"_No."_

"Quick, do a potty dance so you can come back into the building! Hunny, cross your legs and hop up and down, then tell Mori in a pained voice you have to 'go badly' and run for the building. Have Mori run after you," I instructed them hastily.

"You've done this before," Hikaru commented with a level of appraisal.

"You are nearly as good as us, Alexis," Kaoru said as he mimicked his brother's expression.

"Why thank you two," I smiled. "That's sweet. I learn from every one of you." We heard small fists knocking on the door. The twins ran to let Hunny and Mori in.

"Now what do we do?" Tamaki asked me.

"Because we are going a demo, I've already chosen a song but in the future we will vote for the song," I told everyone. "We require Renge's assistance since she is melodramatic and could help us."

As I said this, high-powered motors roared to life and everyone sweatdropped as Renge rose on a platform from a hole in the ground that hadn't been there before. "Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho," the eccentric high schooler chuckled into a microphone. "Do my ears deceive me? The Host Club needs my assistance?"

"She is melodramatic," the twins agreed flatly.

"Yes," Tamaki answered Renge, "we are going to—"

"Shut up, fake king," Renge hissed which caused Tamaki to flee in terror to the refuge of his little emo corner. "What is it the Host Club needs assistance with?" The question was mostly directed at Haruhi.

"We are making a music video," the commoner informed Renge.

"Oh!" she squealed. "A music video! There you will definitely need my help with the costumes, the script, the music—"

"Actually, Renge, we already have a song picked out," I coughed before Renge could get carried away.

"Who is she?" Renge asked the other Host Club members.

The twins draped their arms around my shoulders and grinned. "This is Alexis, the newest member to the Host Club, and the one who thought of this ingenious idea."

Renge jumped from the tall platform and pulled out an umbrella, which allowed her to float gently to the tile floor. "What song did you choose?" Renge demanded.

"_Once Upon a December_ from the movie Anastasia," I declared, "because that song inspired the music video idea. I'm going to show you an advanced music video—a movie clip called _Razzle Dazzle_ from Chicago."

O-o-O-o-O

"Haruhi, you're the person who is singing so I need you to lip sync while you dance," I instructed her as a professional Renge called in showed Haruhi how to spin around on her tiptoes in ballet shoes. It turned out ballet shoes are difficult to balance in, even with the lead weights at the toes.

"Right…there!" Renge cried. "Perfect!" She was directing a hired guy to place the picture of painted wings on a wall. Renge yelled at the twins, "Stop rolling around on the ground and start dancing!"

"I can't get up!" Kaoru complained as his limbs waved in the air. Hikaru tried to help but ended up flailing on his stomach. It was difficult not to guffaw at the sight of two dancing bears 'dancing' on the floor.

"Gr! Get those bears up! Teach them how to dance!" Renge ordered a pair of women. "We must beat _Razzle Dazzle_!"

I tapped Renge's shoulder as I read over the lyrics. "Hey, Renge, we'll need more people –no, not your staff, _high school students _for the 'figures dancing gracefully across my memory' part. They need to know how to waltz."

"Turn the school upside down and see what falls out," Renge shrugged as she ran to yell at the twins again.

So that was how I came to wandering Ouran.

Most students had gone home for the day and a majority of the clubs had gone home. I sighed as I listened to my shoes click on the squeaky clean tiles. I was the only living soul. Naturally, I began to hum which turned into singing softly to myself.

"…_And I think about it all the time. Sweet temptation washin' over me, and you think about it all the time. Passion, desire so intense I can't take anymore because I feel the magic all around you," _I sung, spinning around once. "_It's bringing me to my knees and I wanna be, I gotta be chained to you."_

"_And when you look into my eyes, there's a certain sense of urgency,_" another voice carefully added itself in gradually. The other singer was male. "_Fascination casts a spell and you became more than just a mystery and I think about you all the time."_

I stopped walking and stood where I was, changing the tune. "_Dancing bears…"_

"_Painted wings,"_ the other voice continued.

"_Things I almost remember and a song someone sings once upon a December," _a beautiful chorus of voices joined in. I peered curiously over my shoulder and grinned at the Black Magic Club who was grinning back at me. Of course! The movie _Anastasia_ had a magician in it, named Rasputin, so of course the Black Magic Club would know the songs.

"How would you guys like to be in a music video?" I asked them.

O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: I don't own: Anastasia or 'Once Upon a December', 'Razzle Dazzle' or Chicago, 'Chained to Your Magic' by Savage Garden, or Ouran High School Host Club


	12. Who Let the Dogs Out?

"This is crap."

The entire Host Club gaped at Kyouya. I stared at him in utter disbelief, unable to feel my numb body. It was as if the Shadow King's comment had sent me to the electric chair and then zapped me to death and now my spirit was hovering over my corpse. Haruhi, Hunny, and Takashi sent me worried glances out of the corner of their eyes.

"What do you mean crap?" Kaoru demanded angrily.

"We all worked hard on this," Hikauru growled through gritted teeth.

As Kyouya began to speak, I took the opportunity to slip from the room, trying so hard not to cry.

'_Failure!'_

The word echoed ominously throughout the hollowed out corridors of my mind, over and over. I hated failure. The word was not in my vocabulary because it left a bad taste in my mouth and a dread anticipation as my hands sweated and made my stomach clench. I was a straight A student. I did _not_ fail. It was simply inconceivable and improbable to my mind that I could _fail_ in my classes. In fact, I rarely ever fell short of any goal that was set before me so when I did…I took it hard and personally.

I could not tolerate failure.

'_Kyouya thinks I'm a failure!'_ my mind wailed in despair. Of course a small, ignored part of me knew he was referring to the music video, but he had stated the video was disappointment which meant my effort had been futile, and since I took the failure personally, it was as if _he_ were accusing _me_ of being a _failure_.

A tear managed to squeeze out of the corner of my eye as I dashed down the barren corridors on my tiptoes. I ran on my tiptoes because it was quiet, quick, and if a student saw me running and crying, the news would be plastered all over the school and that was the last thing I needed.

I burst from the pink buildings in an explosion of distressed energy that would lend wings to my feet.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Where did Alexis go?" Haruhi suddenly asked as she glanced around for the girl who had been unusually silent.

"She's gone!" the Hitachiins exclaimed as they counted the number of people in the music room.

"Kyouya, you hurt one of my daughters!" Tamaki proclaimed angrily as he pointed a finger. "I demand you find her and apologize this instant!"

"No."

"Why not?" Tamaki was definitely irritated.

"I have nothing to apologize for," Kyouya stated as he pushed up his glasses. "My opinion stands that this video will not be posted on our website. One of those reasons is because the Black Magic Club's presence and they will gain popularity if they are seen with us."

"Lexi-chan is a fast runner," Hunny gasped as he gazed out the window. The Host Club gathered in time by the window to see their missing person scale the golden fence and land on her hands and feet before calmly striding away. Not once did she glance back.

"Kyouya-sempai, Alexis was really looking forward to making this video to impress you," Haruhi said quietly as the others, in an act of chivalry, made for their limos. "She was extremely nervous during lunch when she told me her decision to show you was wavering. When I asked why, Alexis said she didn't want to disappoint you."

"Come on, Haruhi!" one of the twins called from the hallway.

"Think about that," Haruhi told the silent Shadow King as she yelled, "Coming!" She ran after the others. Kyouya watched her go before returning to his Pineapple laptop and as he was about to close the window of Alexis's flash drive, something caught his eye.

Curious, the Ohtori double-clicked on the icon.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

I froze when I remembered I had the cell phone on my person and cell phones could be tracked. Panicked, I dug around in my pockets until I found the dangerous tracking device and shut it off. I climbed high into the nearest tree to think of my next course of action.

I couldn't return to Ouran and face Kyouya just yet, but I knew the rest of the Host Club would probably be on my tail since they weren't the type of guys to let a distressed damsel or damsel in distress out of their sight. That ruled out retreating into the comforting shadows of the Nekozawa mansion since I didn't want Kirimi or Nekozawa involved. Since I was dealing with rich people, I had to skirt cameras and stores.

I frowned as I wiped a watery eye.

'_I guess I'll have to stick to the woods and keep moving,'_ I reasoned as I allowed myself a sob. _'If I stop moving, the Host Club will find me, the failure, and I don't want them to. A failure has no place amidst immaculate gentleman or Haruhi.'_

"'_Shining light…another day turns into night…eternal fire…waited all my life'_," I sang softly to calm myself down as I shimmied down the tree and found refuge in a thorny bush. I didn't mind as the bush protested to my intrusion by scratching and stabbing; I hardly felt it. "_'Take me away…'_" –my voice dropped to an inaudible whisper—"_'A million miles away from here…Take me away. Find a place for you and me. You're taking me higher, high as I can be…Take me away…Forever you and me; take me away…_'"

I heard familiar voices in the distance.

The Host Club!

Kyouya!

Not caring about the thorns, I crawled from the prickly bush and darted from tree to tree, hoping they wouldn't find me. Especially not the Ohtori. I couldn't deal with him right now.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

_Careful what you wish for 'cause you just might get it._

That saying made its hundredth lap in my head as I sat in the middle of the woods, hungry, cold, paranoid, and lost a few hours later. I sighed as I sat beside my pitiful fire. Luckily, Hikaru and Kaoru had told me different methods of how to start fires in one of our discussions and for that I was thankful. The sun had gone down and I judged I had been lost for approximately four hours.

"Maybe it would have been better to face the Host Club," I sighed as I stamped out my fire and headed off in a random direction, hoping the ground wouldn't suddenly end, but then again I felt slightly suicidal. I shook my head. "My hunger is getting to me."

I jogged around in the thick underbrush, batting mosquitoes and plants alike as I ran from deer fly that confused me for deer. And let me tell you, deer flies are _nasty_. They are bigger than the average house fly, their bites hurt like hell and are numb but itchy, and where they bit you swells up like a hive. Finally I gave up and turned on my cell phone to let those rich brats track my signal.

"Of course there is no reception up here," I scowled as I glared at the empty space where the signal bars should have been. "I should have known that the foliage messes with the signal." Since the device was rendered practically useless, the cell phone became my flashlight as my visibility decreased with the increasing darkness.

I stiffened and snapped my phone shut when I heard a haunting jingle and a soft voice.

A person and their dog.

Due to bad memories of my neighbor's Dalmatian terrorizing my siblings and I when we were younger, I was scarred for life and had a bad case of dog-aphobia. Dogs were at the top of my dislike and fear list which explained why I was a cat person through and through. I hesitated.

The person could be walking their dog and I could ask for directions to the nearest city…or the person could always be a rapist or gangster. I silently cursed my mother for instilling the irrational fear that someone was lurking around, out to kidnap and have their way with me. The dog sensed me and began barking.

Fearing the dog off its leash, I whirled around and ran in the opposite direction with the dog's baying echoing in my ears. That's when I realized the barking wasn't echoing; the blasted mutt was _hunting me down_. I panicked as the image of a wolf flashed in my mind and increased my speed, almost running more than one tree. I knew I couldn't outrun the dog and the Mythbusters busted the 'running through a stream makes the canines lose your scent' theory which left me with the horrible realization the dog would pursue me to the ends of the earth.

I collided rather painfully with something quite solid.

I wrapped my arms around it as we both fell.

'_Hey, wait a sec! Trees aren't usually this soft and trees would not fall over if a human ran into them…'_ I realized as I lifted my face to rub my sore nose. "Ow." My arms were squished under the weight of the thing I ran into.

The thing grunted and shifted around. I jumped as a bright light blinded my eyes and shut my eyes. "Alexis?" Uh oh, that voice was male and familiar.

I flinched as I heard the dog stop nearby and continue its barking; I squeezed the person out of fear, trembling and squeaked in terror, "Oh gosh, it's going to bite me! It's going to shred me limb from limb! Make the dog go away!" I started again as the canine gave a particularly loud howl.

The male person I was clinging onto switched off the light and wrapped an arm around me. "He won't attack you, Alexis," his familiar voice assured me coolly and I felt a pang of dread, not yet recognizing the voice. The person took out his cell phone and called someone. "Call off the search units. I've found her."

That's when it hit me.

Only one person spoke that way.

A cold, wet nose pressed into my leg and I screamed.

The male tried to pacify me in order to continue speaking to the people on the line, but I could not hear him above the shrill wailing erupting from my mouth as I squeezed him tightly out of sheer terror. The arm that had been holding me moved so his hand covered my mouth and he seemed supremely annoyed as he glared down at me. I didn't care if Kyouya killed me so long as _he_ did before the _dog_. I snuck a peek over my shoulder and saw not one, but _four_ wolfy canines panting and _grinning_ at me.

I did something that I hadn't done in a long time.

I fainted.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"They're gonna eat me!" I yelped as I jackknifed into a sitting position, intent on fleeing those innocent-looking cousins of Cerberus. A multitude of hands restrained me however and concerned faces swarmed as I writhed like Sméagol when the Elvish rope had been tied around his neck.

"Calm down!"

"Geez, she's like a rubber ruler!"

"Alexis!"

"No one is going to eat you!"

"How do I know that?" I responded with a glare at Kaoru or Hikaru before giving the room a suspicious glance over. It was a white-washed hospital and I was sitting in an uncomfortable hospital bed. Takashi, Hunny, Kaoru, Hikaru, Haruhi, Tamaki, and of course, the walking nightmare, Kyouya, were all hovering closely around my bed now that I was conscious.

"Where am I?" I asked, vexed.

"In an Ohtori family facility," the person who I least wanted to hear from answered. This concerned me considering my family wouldn't be able to repay the astronomical bill and I might have to return to America. Kyouya seemed to be reading my mind because he said, "This will merely be added to your debt."

Great, just great.

I scowled and proceeded to ignore the Shadow King as the others bombarded me with heaps of questions and I could barely keep up with their combined barrages, especially since most came from Hikaru and Kaoru. I replied to the best of my ability until Kyouya shooed the others from the room, telling them I was fine and would probably suffocate from their crowding.

Kyouya appeared amused I continued to ignore him, even when he sat in a chair abandoned by Haruhi and stared at me. "You caused quite the ruckus today," he commented casually as his elbows rested on his knees. When he saw I did not take the bait, he continued speaking, "I will have to pay the search-and-rescue crews, the police, and—" As he kept listing people or organizations, it made me feel worse.

Those idiots sent out all those people to look for me and now Kyouya was, in a sense, blaming me for vanishing but I knew avoiding the Host Club when I had the chance was the wrong choice. I saw his lips move but all I heard in his underlying tone was, "Failure" whispered over and over, just a little louder each time. Heart aching, I ignored him and snuggled under the thin sheets and turned away from him, shutting my eyes. A single tear escaped from the corner of my eye.

"Alexis, are you listening to me?" His calm voice sounded faintly irritated.

I stared at the back of my eyelids.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"…I have nothing to say to you," I told him coldly.

"That's fine, but please stop being childish. I have something to say to you and I am not leaving until you hear me out or answer my questions."

"Fine."

I held out longer than I expected to and probably longer than Kyouya anticipated. I attempted falling asleep, but could not with the fluorescent hospital lights glowing too brightly, the machines whirring and beeping too loudly, and I sensed the raven-haired boy's intense gaze burning a bald spot into the back of my head. I allowed myself to cry silently, tearing dripping down the side of my face; from his angle, Kyouya couldn't see my face and for that I was glad. After what felt like an eternity, I heard him sigh and the faint sound of his shoes before a door opened and shut.

I swallowed and glanced over my shoulder. He had gone. He had really gone, even though he had claimed he wouldn't.

"Feh, good riddance," I snorted softly to myself and quickly feigned sleep as the door opened and shut again.

"Alexis?"

It was Haruhi.

"Hai?" I replied quietly, stealthily rubbing away the wet telltale tear trails.

"Kyouya seemed pretty angry when he came out and I wondered what you said to make him so," the girl commented as I heard her sit in the plastic chair.

I sat up and frowned at the brainiac. "He's probably mad I'm not talking to him."

"You've been crying," she exclaimed suddenly as her large brown eyes widened.

I sighed, shifting my gaze to the wall. "Yeah."

"Why?"

I felt my eyes welling up again as I stared at the girl. "I ran away in the first place because he implied I was a failure, Haruhi. I-I don't disappoint people often, but when I do…I take it personally because _I_ didn't do well enough and _my_ efforts let down the person. I hate failing. I know I can't succeed at everything but when it comes to people, I feel horrible if I don't meet or exceed their expectations."

Haruhi frowned. "What if they have high expectations?"

"I consider that a challenge, however discouraging it is."

Her frown deepened. "Kyouya-sempai does tend to be cold-hearted and indifferent sometimes, Alexis, but I'm sure he meant no harm. He posted one of your videos on the website."

I stiffened. I had several videos on my flash drive and over half of them were personal, and I could imagine the horrors Kyouya could hang over my head with that information. "Which one?"

I resisted the urge to grab Haruhi's shoulders and shake her as she tilted her head to the side and thought about it. "Ah!" she suddenly remembered. "The one with pictures from our website you synchronized to the song 'Bad Boy' by Cascada."

My face flushed. "B-But that was just for fun! I did that during when I was bored! I mean-that was-he really-Oh hell…" I hid my scarlet face in my hands, groaning. "That nosy prat. I was practicing because I was considering creating a youtube account, but decided against it because frankly Kyouya doesn't need another foothold on my life."

"He'll manage to discover plenty more," Haruhi said dryly.

I smiled sheepishly at the commoner who reminded me of myself in many ways. "Sorry for making you guys worry, but I didn't want to face Kyouya right after he practically called me a failure to my face so I tried to get some alone time."

"I'm just glad you're alright," Haruhi smiled back as she stood.

"Hey, Haruhi."

"Yeah?"

"If Kyouya asks you about this chat, please tell him to piss off."

"I'll try."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"_Piss off?"_

I leaned away from the Shadow King's intimidating angry face that was too close to mine for comfort. I smiled weakly as he continued to look unimpressed and mad. A normal Kyouya I could live with, but this irate one was a tad (okay, very) scary.

"Do you realize with the staggering debt you've acquired, you will have to work all three years in high school and then some to pay off your due?" His black eyes narrowed when I didn't comment because I had already predicted this. "Alexis, in order to ensure you do not skip out on your debt; you will become my personal slave."

"This is worse than Truth or Dare," I muttered to myself.

He pushed his metal framed glasses up the bridge of his nose as he ignored my comment. "However, I shall slash your debt by a third, considering that was part of the music video agreement. Pray your video is popular and reaps profit." With that chilling statement, he left.

'_I might as well dig myself a grave,'_ I thought with a shudder.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: I don't own the song 'Take Me Away' by 4 Strings or the lyrics, the Mythbusters, 'Bad Boy' by Cascada, or Ouran High School Host Club


	13. Abandoned in No Man's Land

"Alexis, what would you name a pacemaker?" Kyouya inquired as he glanced up from his Pineapple laptop.

I set down a steaming china teacup on the smooth wooden table beside his laptop. "A Life Saver," I replied dryly. Being the Shadow King's slave, my little respect for him had been shot into the farthest reaches of the universe, my shattered pride and shreds of dignity shortly after, and my patience was being loaded onto the launch pad. Unfortunately, I had only endured a mere _two_ _weeks_ of servitude.

The evil raven-haired young man shook his head. "I can't have the candy company suing us on copyright grounds. Can't you concoct something more original?"

"Metal Miracle?" I suggested with a shrug as ideas popped into my head. "Aye, aye, me _heartie_? You can't _beat_ us? Ha ha…um, we've got the _beat_…"

"Names, not slogans," Kyouya reminded me, despite the fact I noted he was entering my words onto his laptop.

I scowled at him. "Shush! Genius at work! I'm _thinking_."

"So that's where all the smoke is coming from," the irritating Shadow King commented casually as he lifted the china cup to his lips. "This tea is cold and I specifically asked for Earl Grey, not herbal."

"How about Timeless Ticker? Sacred Heart?" I said, swallowing unpleasant adjectives. _'That finicky jerk did say herbal, but herbal and Earl Grey sound alike so he nearly pulled a fast one…I need to start carrying a recorder on me in defense against his capricious whims of 'Alexis do this' or 'Alexis make my tea'. Ugh. Stupid, stupid, males!'_

Kyouya made no comment as he sipped the herbal tea and set it down before making a shooing motion for me to redo his order. Suddenly an epiphany hit me halfway to the door of the Third Music Room and I laughed. I didn't care when everyone stopped what they were doing to stare curiously at me.

"Hey, need a Spare?" I laughed before shaking my head, smiling, as I exited the infamously famous Host Club headquarters. Well, I understood the joke. When someone got a flat tire, another would ask if they needed a spare; in my mind, the person who needed the pacemaker was the one with the 'flat' heart, and the other person would help them.

My cell phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered. It was my dad. I stopped in the empty hallway and listened to what my father told me, heart sinking faster than the Titanic. Finally, I whispered softly, "Okay, bye. I love you too, Dad." I shut the phone and stared at the ground as my eyes began to fill. I bit my lip and shut my eyes.

'_Stupid, don't let anyone see you cry,'_ a proud part of me chastised.

With a quick sweep of my hand over my eyes and a smile, I strode toward the cafeteria to create yet another cup of tea. As I entered into the courtyard where a few people passed and greeted me, no one could tell that on the inside I was cracking. Badly.

_Behind this smile is a person you will never understand._

I smiled and returned the greetings of a few students who said something to me. I dumped the lukewarm herbal tea onto a rosebush.

_Behind this smile is a broken soul._

"Hey."

I turned around to find a familiar, eager male eyeing me hopefully.

"Would you like to join the chess club?"

"No thank you. I'm too preoccupied with my hectic schedule, but I appreciate your offer," I told him, my voice sounding happier than I felt.

_Gotta keep it in so you'll never know._

I kept moving forward, moving along as I hoped no one else offering me to join their club would block my path. Most of the clubs had gotten the hint after the Halloween Masquerade that I wasn't interested, but there were the persistent few still chasing after me. Unfortunately, today didn't seem to be my day.

"The badminton team would enjoy your addition to the team," a random student told me.

_Waiting to fall apart._

My anger flared but I kept silent, willing myself not to glare at this person and lash out at the innocent student. Kyouya had been wearing down my patience all day with his attitude, then I got the phone call, and now club members were pestering me. I gritted my teeth as I stared at the ground.

"I'm not interested."

_I can't help feeling like this._

"That didn't stop you from assisting the Black Magic Club despite your affiliation with the Host Club prior to the party," the annoying person persisted.

My foot snaked around the student's ankle and yanked backward, causing the person to fall on their butt. I leaned into their face and glared, voice flat. "Look _buddy_, I told you I'm not interested and I'm not about to change my mind, no matter what crap you spew. Today is not one of my better days and for your sake, I would advise avoiding me."

My mouth hovered beside his ear as I whispered in a deadly soft voice, "Comprende?"

I saw the side of his head nod and, satisfied, I straightened and moved away from the fallen, stunned student.

_I don't run from you. _

I continued my route to the kitchen unhurriedly, ignoring the gaping and curiously gazes directed at my now smiling face.

_I walk away slowly. _

_And it kills me because you don't care enough to stop me._

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

I silently plunked the Shadow King's steaming Earl Grey tea down reside his laptop and turned away to search for something to occupy myself before another menial duty was dumped on me. I froze as I heard Kyouya complain, "The tea is too hot."

"Just wait a few minutes or blow on it and the tea will cool," I replied without looking over my shoulder. "I left the teapot within your reach just in case the tea becomes too cold for your taste." Not exactly the smartest thing to tell the Shadow King, but I was in no mood to deal with his irksome attitude.

"Is that any way to speak to your master?"

"No."

"Where do you think you're going?" Kyouya demanded, not harshly but I could tell he was not happy.

"To mop the floor or something," I muttered as I stalked away from the exasperating Ohtori. I silently began to pluck the poisonous fungi in Tamaki's emo corner and toss the fungi into a black trash bag. I felt oddly at home in Tamaki's sulking corner, but I blamed it on the phone call I had received, the phone call which rocked my life.

_If I laugh and talk too loud…it's because I'm trying to forget that I'm sad._

"Lexi-chan, what's wrong?" Hunny asked as he squatted down beside me and gazed at my face with concern.

My heart ached with guilt that I was worrying someone, but I forced myself to smile sadly and reply, "I want to go home."

_Pain fills my heart with sadness._

Hunny frowned but brightened. "Do you want some cake to help your homesickness?" he offered me a slice of chocolate cake topped with vanilla frosting and a cherry. My wane smile inched up a little as I shook my head. Poor Hunny; he couldn't help me. No one could.

"I'm not hungry," I told him.

"Are you sure you're okay, Lexi-chan?" Hunny asked, brown eyes meeting mine. Inside, I froze. Did he know? Could he tell how unstable I was inside? Could he see my fraying soul?

_Always putting on a smile to fool the world._

"Why do you ask?"

"Because when people aren't hungry, they are usually sick," Hunny replied seriously.

"I'm not sick," I assured him as I tied the garbage bag, the emo corner officially plucked clean and ready for new cultivation. So Hunny didn't know…Somehow that saddened me. My happy façade was so perfect no one could penetrate it, my words fending off those who could help me.

_Smile…it hides everything._

The customers began filing out of the room, herded by Hikaru and Kaoru with Haruhi's gentle assistance with the ones who refused to leave. The cross-dresser's soft persistence paid off and the stubborn customers began exiting.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Tamaki inquired, unusually solemn as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head. "Not really. I'll toss this in the dumpster before I get emo mushroom cooties and go home since club activities are over." I snatched my backpack and dumped my trash bag into half full ones the club had filled before dragging it behind me.

_Underneath this smile…my world is slowly caving in…_

I had nearly reached the door when a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Alexis-" Kyouya began, but I cut him off.

"You know what Kyouya? You can shove a pacemaker up your nose, in each ear, down your throat, and up your gigantic—" I snapped my mouth shut, gritted my teeth for my rude outburst and hurried out of the Third Music Room before I ended up saying something that would damage relationships or feelings, leaving the astonished Host Club behind me.

_The pain will never heal._

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Has anyone seen Alexis?" Nekozawa asked. Kuretake and Kadomatsu shook their heads, frowning.

"She was cleaning windows upstairs when I last saw her," Kirimi commented with her own saddened expression. "Alexis didn't want to play with me and spoke really softly and shut the door quietly. I think she's upset."

Nekozawa was inclined to agree and was determined to find the missing maid. Alexis hadn't shown up for dinner either and the dark prince knew something was amiss. "I'll try to find her. Kirimi, it's your bedtime. Kuretake, please ensure my sister makes it to bed," he ordered, staring at Bereznoff to avoid his little sister's displeased expression.

"Is there any way I can be of service, Master Umehito?" Kadomatsu inquired.

"Search the basement and the lower level. If you find anything, I'll be upstairs or in the attic," Nekozawa told him before setting out. The prince of darkness discovered no trace of the elusive Alexis on the upper level, but his eyes caught a candle glowing in the darkness of the attic.

"Alexis?"

He ventured near cautiously and found a hunched cloaked figure facing toward a single lit candle.

"Alexis?"

She was ignoring him. There was no other explanation because he had spoken loud enough to be heard and the still figure did not respond. Nekozawa sat beside her and tried to peer at her expression, but Alexis had pulled the cowl low so Nekozawa could only see the lower half of her face, the point of her nose and down to her neck.

"Are you feeling alright?"

_Every time someone asks if I'm okay it's just a reminder that I'm not._

No reply, but Nekozawa saw her lips which had been in a line dip down a little.

"Are you ill?"

No response.

_You asked what was wrong and I smiled and said, "_Nothing_," then I turned around and whispered, "_Everything_." _

"We are not going to get anywhere if you do not answer my questions," Nekozawa told her softly but firmly. "I am not leaving you in the attic alone and I intend to get answers." Alexis just dipped her head lower as she hugged her knees to her chest, hands hidden beneath the voluminous sleeves of one of his black robes.

_You know that I'm just the kind of girl that feels so hurt and smiles._

"I have nothing to say," Alexis finally spoke quietly and Nekozawa could detect the sadness and pain in her tone. How often he had used that same voice when referring to his stolen time with Kirimi? It was a tone all too familiar to the dark prince.

"You do not have to tell me your problems, just why you didn't eat tonight," Nekozawa told her as he slipped Bereznoff off his hand and held it before Alexis. The gesture surprised her if the sudden raising of her head was any indication or the slight opening of her mouth as she accepted the cat puppet.

Alexis slipped his treasured possession onto her hand and Bereznoff's ears slumped as he frowned, sharing the American's pain. Nekozawa watched Alexis frown as her other hand gently stroked Bereznoff as if she was afraid of hurting the cat puppet. Alexis lifted her head and the hood tilted back; the American was smiling sadly.

"Arigatou, Umehito Nekozawa."

The dark prince saw how badly she was hurt and he could empathize. People feared him, flinched or fled when he came too close, teased him, mocked him. Even Kirimi, his own sister by flesh and blood, feared him. Despite when the Host Club had brought them closer, Kirimi was still afraid of the dark and her brother's dark nature. He had few friends to rely on and fewer family members who could bear his depressing, eccentric presence.

"I'm really sorry for worrying everyone and skipping dinner, but I got a phone call that ruined my day," Alexis admitted, lowering her head so her eyes were obscured. "It was my dad calling me from Tokyo."

_Look in my eyes and tell me what you see._

"He told me that he was fine and the meeting with the Japanese NASA and JPL people was over. He'll be leaving tonight on the flight back to America…I think he's on the plane right now…"

_Sick of trying. Sick of crying. Yeah, I'm smiling but inside I'm dying._

"He and my mother are getting a divorce…My dad hasn't heard from my siblings because mom won't pick up the phone or let my siblings speak to him. I don't know what's going on over there and I want to go back, but at the same time, I'm repelled by my going back because of all the shit I'll have to deal with so I'm going to stay here and finish this year at school. That's my plan so far."

_She was always so sad but she never said a word._

"To make matters worse, the split is going to increase the financial strain on our family and I don't want to see my siblings or parents living in the streets." Nekozawa saw tears running down her cheeks although he couldn't see her eyes and Alexis shook faintly. "And over here, Kyouya has me in a vice grip with a debt I've accumulated plus I'm his personal slave for the rest of my high school years. For the past week I've put up with him the best I could…but today I almost said something I would have regretted."

_Take me away from all this __**pain**__._

"I can't deal with this much longer," Alexis sniffled as she fought not to lose complete control over her violent, raw emotions. "I know people say 'what doesn't kill you can only make you stronger' and 'it'll turn out okay in the end', but I don't see how…I really don't…What good can come of divorce?"

Nekozawa didn't have an answer as he watched on helplessly.

"I know it's not my fault," the distressed teenager continued. "It takes two to tango and both my parents are wrapped up in their passionate, angry dance. They are the ones who started this stupid, childish fight and they're the only ones who can end it…"

She trailed off into silence and Nekozawa scooted closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

Alexis finally looked up at the dark prince, eyes red and puffy. "But where does that leave the kids? Where does that leave my siblings? Or me?"

_If tears could make us pretty, I'd be the prettiest girl alive._

"In one of the World Wars, they built deep trenches," she told him, wiping one eye on the sleeve. "Above the trenches, any soldier that ventured out of their trench had to battle with whizzing bullets from machine guns or other guns, fog, mud, barbed wire concealed in the mud, bombs or explosives, and dead bodies. That ground was dubbed No Man's Land by the soldiers."

Alexis suddenly hugged Nekozawa and buried her face into him as she sobbed, "My siblings and I are stuck in No Man's Land without a trench to dive into."

Nekozawa awkwardly returned the loose embrace as the American cried out her fears and frustrations into Nekozawa's quickly dampening robe. The dark prince was silently panicking because he had no clue what to do. Were he a princely figure in one of Kirimi's shojo magazines, he might know, but he wasn't. Nekozawa allowed Alexis to cling onto him as the candle became shorter and shorter.

"I'm all alone," the distraught teenager suddenly said. "They abandoned me…My dad abandoned me here…he-he left me! He left me!"

"He had to go home, Alexis," Nekozawa told her in an attempt to comfort her. The dark prince wished Tamaki and his knowledge of girls would appear and assist him, but when no obnoxiously cheerful blonde materialized, Nekozawa knew he was on his own. "He was no longer needed in Japan. Your father would never abandon you, Alexis."

_Sometimes when I say "oh I'm fine", I want someone to __look me in the eyes__ and say "_tell the truth_"._

"But I'm still alone," Alexis sniffled as she raised her head, hood askew. She brushed it off her head, leaving her hair slightly frizzed from hood-hair. Her expression was pleading as she glanced up at Nekozawa. "Please don't ever abandon me, Nekozawa. Please."

"A-Alright," he stammered, not knowing what else to do. Nekozawa just wanted Alexis to stop crying. It pained him to see anyone he knew hurt or upset.

Alexis leaned her head against his chest and muttered, "So much for my happy ending." She appeared to be composing herself and holding back the burst dam.

"It's not good to bottle your emotions," he told her quietly.

"I know."

"You're not alone, Alexis," Nekozawa said softly as he held her a little tighter to reassure her. "Lots of other kids and people our age have parents who are divorced or are in the process of divorcing. Every day the divorce rates climb…I'll bet someone else somewhere in the world is feeling as horrible as you right now for the same reason."

"I know…but I feel so alienated."

_If only you could make my wish come true…I just want to be happy._

"I feel alienated at school," Nekozawa supplied, seeing his efforts were working.

"Me too, especially with all of Kyouya's fangirls out for my blood and those clubs after me as a trophy," Alexis agreed bitterly.

The dark prince frowned. "But you have the Host Club."

Alexis lifted her head and told him. "You don't have to be alone to be lonely."

_If I told you that I need you, would you to catch me if I fall?_

The American snorted the snot that comes with crying and wiped her eyes as she slowly pulled away from Nekozawa. "I apologize for being such a pain in the butt and dumping all this on you…but I know I can trust you no matter what."

"You've been under a lot of pressure lately," Nekozawa told heras his fingers absently wove through her hair. "I'm surprised you've held out as long as you have, especially under everyone's noses. You are quite the expert at concealing your emotions."

"I know. Sometimes it sucks because I want someone to know how I really feel, but at the same time I don't want to burden them," Alexis admitted, standing. Nekozawa grabbed the nearly dead candle as he stood and guided his friend from the attic to her room.

"But if you don't tell the people who care about you, they worry and that hurts them," Nekozawa frowned as Alexis rubbed her watery eyes on the sleeve of the robe. "You should not worry them. Worry causes ulcers, gray hairs, and worse, wrinkles."

Alexis's lips quirked. "Was that a joke, Nekozawa?"

"An attempt."

"Not bad," she chuckled. "I guess I should apologize to the Host Club then…Tomorrow is Tuesday and Christmas break is coming up, along with the ball held on the day before Christmas at the school. This is the last week of November…Tempus fugit. G'night Umehito. Sleep tight."

"Don't let the zombies bite," the dark prince finished.

When he glided down the hall and was reaching for his doorknob, Nekozawa froze.

Alexis had addressed him by his first name.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Tamaki began his usual monologue as the door to the Host Club cracked open, rose petals dropped from the ceiling (from a bag) and blown toward the entrance via fan, bag and fan hidden by a blinding white light. "Welcome to the H-"

"You're late!" the Hitachiin twins cut off their Lord as Hikaru and Kaoru pointed accusingly at a familiar figure that entered timidly.

"I know," Alexis replied as she shut the door. "I was late on purpose so you would all be assembled."

"Nani?" they all exclaimed. Yes, including Mori and Kyouya.

Alexis bowed. "I apologize for my rude, unacceptable behavior the day before…I'm under a lot of pressure and had no right to vent my frustrations by lashing out at everyone."

The Host Club plus the American were speechless when Mori awkwardly embraced Alexis.

"Uh, arigatou, Mori," Alexis said sheepishly, patting one of his arms.

"You're welcome," he deadpanned calmly as he stared down at her and released her.

Hunny was next to hug Alexis when he dashed forward and collided against the American, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Usa-chan and I knew you were upset yesterday," the pint-sized senior told Alexis matter-o'-factly. "Takashi, Usa-chan, and I made you a special chocolate fudge cake to make you feel better!"

"Where is it?" Alexis asked.

Hunny averted his eyes as he held his pink rabbit close to his chest. "Well…it looked so delicious and I got hungry…Gomen, Lexi-chan! Don't be angry!" The senior's chocolate eyes welled up with tears as he buried his face into her side, giving her an apologetic hug and Alexis patted the top of his head uneasily.

"Eh, it's…okay, Hunny. I'm not angry at you for eating the cake," the American assured him. "It's the thought that counts."

Alexis ran as a sobbing Tamaki with sparkles hovering around him and the evilly-grinning twins chased after her, all three insisting she needed a hug. "No thank you!" the American yelled over her shoulder as she hopped over a table and cleared a couch.

"But, daughter, you need my support in such stressful times!" the melodramatic blonde declared as he leapt over the table. "Your fragile heart needs the support of father's ar—GAH!" Tamaki did not clear the couch because the twins tripped him before bouncing on the red cushions and resuming their chase.

"No!"

"Alexis, we're not going to do anything stupid," Hikaru or Kaoru insisted.

"Not like Tono," the other added.

"Hey!"

"Should we stop them?" Haruhi inquired, glancing up at Kyouya who was watching the spectacle along with Hunny and Mori.

"The situation will resolve itself," the Ohtori replied.

With those magic words, Alexis tripped and the twins caught her before she fell, but Tamaki reached them. The fuming blonde smacked Hikaru and Kaoru for their derogatory comment and for manhandling his other daughter, and in the process, accidentally hit Alexis when one of the twins dogged a swat from a paper fan. The twins apologized and sped off, fearing Alexis's wrath, leaving the American in the arms of Tamaki who was tearfully apologizing before one of the Hitachiins commented on their Lord's stupidity again and the blonde tore after the laughing doppelgangers.

"This is getting out of hand," Haruhi sighed before she ran off to play peacemaker. Hunny and Mori followed just in case Tamaki needed forceful restraint.

Alexis massaged the glowing bump on her head with a frown. Tamaki had some power behind those swats, but the injury was nothing to worry about and the slight buzzing pain dimmed to a low fizzle. She sweatdropped as she saw Haruhi, hands on hips, scolding a pair of vaguely sheepish twins and a tearful Tamaki with Hunny and Mori as silent spectators.

"Alexis."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

I glanced over at Kyouya curiously and found him seated at his usual haunt in a shaded corner by an elegant, wooden table and seated in his swivel chair. His face glowed an eerily in the pale luminescence of the computer light. I cocked my head as an unspoken question and he turned his head toward the computer, his darting to me, then back at the screen. I ambled over, obeying the silent command and stood behind him, head hovering over his shoulder.

On the screen was a youtube video and he pressed 'play'.

_An older man lay reclined on the leather seat of his truck, clutching his chest and breathing raggedly. His truck tire was flat. Outside a car pulled up behind and a younger man dashed out of his vehicle and to the driver's window. He leaned in and asked, "Need a Spare?" as he held up a pacemaker._

_The scene switched to a professional-looking man I recognized as Kyouya's father, holding up the same pacemaker as he began speaking about the new, more efficient brand of pacemaker recently created. "This metal miracle is guaranteed to last a lifetime," he told the camera confidently. _

AsI kept my eyes glued to the screen, my ears distinctly picked up the words 'timeless ticker' and 'sacred heart' as the commercial went on.

"_We've got the beat," the announcer said, ending the commercial._

I grinned madly, proud and pleased as punch that Kyouya had used my random babbles in an important medical commercial that millions would view. Those viewers would never know a rich boy took the words or phrases from a commoner, both in high school, and those words had been relayed to the head of the Ohtori company. I did. Kyouya did too.

I couldn't help myself so I hugged the raven-haired young man who had been watching my expression from the corner of his eye. I gave him a squeeze of gratitude. "You're awesome, Kyouya," I squealed happily and added in a softer tone, face turned away so the rest of the Host Club couldn't see or hear, "I apologize for my insubordination and derogatory comment."

I released him, face glowing happily. Kyouya had asked little ole _me_ for suggestions! I ignored the gaping Host Club, especially Tamaki, as my cheeks heated slightly. Kyouya blinked and smoothed out his wrinkled uniform and adjusted his glasses with a nonplussed expression.

"Earl Grey, no sugar this time," he told me.

"M'kay." I skipped to the cafeteria since the Host Club had run out of tea from today's hosting activities. On my way, I saw an irate Medusa ready to pop a vein as she tried her hardest to make me explode with her glare. Her manicured nails dug into her hands so hard her palms were bleeding. Medusa's black coils were whipping around in the air, hissing and glowering at me too.

I didn't care.

I even high-fived the stunned guy from the badminton team that I'd threatened the day before.

* * *

**Banal Disclaimer: we all know, or most of us know that I don't own the Life Saver candies so you can't sue me. HA! -cough- Erm, I also do not possess the depressing phrases and sayings...well, I do but they are icons created by someone else who needs counseling, not me. I just collect icons. Anyway, the part about No Man's Land is true. I don't own herbal or Earl Grey tea because my name is not Earl Grey and herbal tea was probably around before I was...I don't own NASA ****or JPL either...I think that might be it...**

**Author Rant: I have only one thing to say...BOO-YA! Kyouya AND Nekozawa in the same chapter! Boo-ya, I say! BOO-YA!**


	14. Preparations

"I have little left to teach you," Kyouya told me as we closed one of our tutoring sessions. I gathered my books and pencils into my backpack, hoisting it onto my back.

"I guess that means I'll have my work cut out for me because I still have a lot to cover with you," I mused aloud, waiting for Kyouya to shut down his Pineapple laptop. "You ask so many questions that we barely get through a subject before time runs out…"

"Remember I am going to give you a quiz over everything I've taught you," the Ohtori reminded me as we both exited the classroom and headed for the front of the school. One rule about tutoring was that, for the time being, Kyouya and I were equals which meant I wasn't his slave.

I groaned. "You and every other teacher that's giving a quiz before Christmas break." Suddenly I brightened and hopped up and down excitedly. "Yay! Christmas is in one month exactly! Wohoo!"

I swore Kyouya's lips made the ghost of a smile. "One of the reasons I agreed to tutor you today instead of attending Host Club activities was to avoid Tamaki's unbearable enthusiasm about Christmas."

"Well sorry to rain on your parade and blow up your floats, but Christmas is exciting! And it's snowing outside! I've never seen snow, let alone so much!" I couldn't stop smiling, but I stuck my tongue out at Kyouya. "Don't compare me to that idiot."

Kyouya said nothing as we both exited the warm building and began trudging through the knee-deep snow that had built up. Suddenly I stopped and gasped, "Tomorrow is Friday! Double score! Christmas in a month and tomorrow is fry-your-brains-out-with-quizzes-and-tests day which means less homework next week!"

Kyouya's dark eyes glinted with amusement as he actually smiled slightly. Well, more of a wry smile, but it counts! "You look forward to testing?"

"Yeah, so I can get it over with and see how much I've improved," I answered, nodding enthusiastically.

We stood near the edge of the campus by a ring of trees. I amused myself for a few minutes with my visible, steamy breath before admiring the untouched snow. I whipped out my cell phone and turned around, shutting one eye and sticking out my tongue slightly as I tried to angle the camera on the phone correctly.

SNAP.

I smiled, saving the breath-taking picture of Ouran High School and made it my background.

"I see you enjoy taking pictures," Kyouya commented. He had watched me take the picture and switch by cell phone wallpaper.

"Yeah, the camera on this phone is definitely impressive," I nodded sagely. "Its recorder is also remarkable."

Kyouya raised his eyebrows when he heard my cell phone alert me to a picture message: _'Warning: this episode contains copious amounts of Duke Devlin. Women with heart conditions are advised not to look directly at Duke Devlin. This also applies to women without heart conditions. He's very pretty. See? See how pretty he is? He's very pretty. I'd like to run my fingers through his hair and I'm just a voice. Anyway, without further ado, enjoy your crappy anime cartoon.'_

Flushing with embarrassment, I flipped open the phone to find the picture message was from Tamaki. He had sent a picture of his dog, Antoinette, slipping on a patch of ice and sprawled in an awkward splits position. I laughed and replied with a picture of Kyouya and me standing outside the school. The reply was from Tamaki's strict head mistress that sent a video of Tamaki slipping and sliding on the frozen sidewalk to rescue Antoinette. "_Master Tamaki was going to take Antionette for a walk, but Antoinette had other ideas," _the stern woman's voice said. I burst out laughing as Tamaki slid across the frozen sidewalk gracefully before making a snow angel, face-first, in the untouched and deep snow.

"Poor Tamaki," I giggled, sliding my phone into my pocket after replying.

"See you tomorrow," Kyouya said with a pleasant but synthetic smile as his limo pulled up.

"Bye Kyouya," I replied, flashing a grin. I frowned however when Kyouya set down the brief case he carried the Pineapple laptop in and squatted down, gathering snow. I stiffened. "Kyouya, why are you making a snowball?"

"You'll see." I didn't like his smirk when he stood and threw it in my direction. It whizzed past my shoulder.

"Ha! You missed!"

"No I didn't," he smirked and I heard an ominous rustling of branches as I remembered I was standing close to a large pine tree. And it had snowed.

"Noooo!" I howled, covering my head before I was buried under a ton of snow. When I clawed my way to freedom and poked my head out from the pile, I saw Kyouya was laughing. He had his cell phone out and took a picture before climbing into his limo, still laughing but not as hard as before.

"Curse you, Ohtori!"

* * *

"Haruhi, is Tamaki still your slave from the Truth or Dare game?" I asked her as Mori pinned up the Christmas lights Haruhi and I were holding up. The twins and the blonde King were the second team decorating with Christmas lights which proved to be disastrous so Kyouya was overseeing their progress. The last time I checked, my raven-haired slave driver was untangling his leg and looking rather ticked while Tamaki and the twins were hopelessly tied up.

"Iie," she answered as she glanced over her shoulder at the ill-fated second team. "I couldn't stand him following me around everywhere with those puppy eyes. He's worse than useless when it comes to house chores and disrupted my studying so I released him after the day after our game."

"Oh."

"How is your tutoring with Kyouya?" Haruhi inquired.

"He's eating the information out of my hands so fast I have to worry about my fingers getting bitten off," I admitted with a light laugh. "Kyouya gets irritated when we finish early because he absorbs everything I tell him faster than the Hindenburg burning."

"What about when he teaches you?" the commoner asked with an amused smile.

"I really have no clue…" I shrugged. "When Kyouya teaches, the only sides of him I see are when he is no-nonsense and scholarly or when he's irritated. I believe it frustrates him a little that I don't pick up information as quickly as he does so Kyouya gets annoyed he has to slow down. Once and only once have I ever seen a glimmer of bring impressed—that was when I told him I read tons of anime and manga before taking Japanese classes so I know bits of Japanese by heart. Or maybe that was annoyance..."

"Hm, well, Kyouya isn't one to display emotions easily," Haruhi agreed with a shrug as we both descended from the wooden ladders. "Little surprises him, less impresses him."

I sighed. "Don't I know it, but persistence pays."

"Alexis," Kyouya snarled looking murderous as he stomped over, "go assist those idiots."

I grinned, climbing down the ladder as the usually composed Ohtori had difficulty smoothing his ruffled feathers. "Would you like some Earl Grey tea, Kyouya-sempai?" I inquired over my shoulder in an attempt to give him time for his temper to diffuse.

"Iie," he answered, cool, calm, and collected.

I sighed as the Hitachiin twins and Tamaki called for help untangling themselves from the tight embrace of the Christmas lights.

* * *

I found myself repeating the same process but with the maid. Kuretake and Kadomatsu, both eager to please, had a little too eagerly strung up the Christmas lights outside the mansion and I assigned myself the task of extricating the tied up maid from her binding.

"Arigatou, Alexis-san," Kuretake sighed as she rubbed her chilled hands together. "You are skilled at untying."

"Nah, I just practiced on Tamaki, Kaoru, and Hikaru not too long ago," I chuckled, my steamy breath fanning out like a train's smoke but white. "What do you think, Master Umehito, Mistress Kirimi?" I yelled from the rooftop down at the pair who gazed up at us.

"Beautiful," Kirimi gasped, hopping up and down while clapping her hands. I could barely make out Nekozawa's pleased smile from where I was. The snowstorm had picked up and the three of us hunched down as Kuretake boldly slid down the ladder, her feet clamping the sides. I simply climbed down and Kadomatsu slid down before we hurried inside.

"N-Now the t-tree," I puffed, unzipping a thick winter coat I had borrowed from Kuretake. I hung it on the coat rack as the others followed suit when I spotted Kirimi shivering and hugging herself. I smiled. "I think some hot chocolate is in order and perhaps a large, roaring fire to thaw everyone." Man, the Christmas bug had really bitten me hard this year; I usually wasn't so cheerful!

Kirimi's face brightened at my suggesting and she looked up hopefully at the other three. "I'll make it," Kuretake offered.

"I'll help!" the blonde preschooler announced as she dashed after the maid.

"Kadomatsu, would you prepare and start a fire in a room nearest to everyone's sleeping quarters?" Nekozawa asked the butler, who nodded and left. "And cut down a pine tree in the front yard."

"Guess that leaves just us. Where's the ornaments?" I glanced around as if it would pop up out of the floor.

"The ornaments…are hidden within the depths of the haunted attic," Nekozawa told me in that eerie whispering voice I had long since adjusted to. He had that trademark spooky smirk to go with it.

"High-ho then," I replied enthusiastically, lighting a candelabra. "Let's see if the three Christmas spirits will pay us a visit a month before Christmas, shall we?"

"I was unaware there were Christmas spirits," Nekozawa commented as he lead the way.

"You've never read or watched The Christmas Story?! Blasphemy!" I gasped dramatically. Maybe Tamaki's cooties had infected me earlier when I had been untangling him from the long strand of lights… "Such blasphemy cannot be tolerated," I decided aloud. "We're watching the Jim Henson version tonight."

"Will it frighten Kirimi?"

"Probably with the Ghost of the Christmases Yet to Come," I nodded. "His corporeal form is that of a large grim reaper without the scythe."

"Kirimi will definitely be scared of that," Nekozawa frowned.

"That's why she is going to sit between us."

"Nani?!"

"You heard me," I told him as we hiked into the musty, attic that was barren of life aside from spider webs and dead insect corpses, but everything was covered with white sheets that had browned from so much dust piled on them. There were also boxes with weapons, a mini Guillotine, a couple skulls grinning at us, and empty vials standing upright rigidly.

"We have our work cut out for us," I wowed as I took in the attic that was twice as large as my bedroom.

"Indeed," Nekozawa agreed.

After much yanking of sheets, flying dust, coughing and sneezing, we finally happened upon the ornaments and more Christmas decorations and hauled them into the room where Kadomatsu had already set up the tree and was in the process of beginning the fire. Kirimi was sitting on the couch sipping her hot chocolate and Kuretake offered us two steaming mugs.

"Darkness is an excellent cleanser after being exposed to the foulness of the daylight," Nekozawa told me as we both sat on the couch with Kirimi between us. Kadomatsu had been sent to search for The Christmas Story movie and Kuretake was whipping up more hot chocolate.

I purred at the warmth of the hot chocolate easing down my throat and the gentle heat of the fire stroking me. I shut my eyes, leaning my head back, as I sighed comfortably, "The darkness is easier on the eyes and velvety soft…this fire is most excellent." Still, I grabbed the blanket draped over the back of the couch and curled up in it; Kirimi joined me after setting her empty mug on the wooden table.

"I like spending time with brother and Alexis," Kirimi said, closing her eyes as she burrowed into my side, wrapping her arms around me. She seemed worn out from the excitement.

"I like spending time with you too, Kirimi," I told her, running my hands through her hair slowly.

"As do I, Kirimi," Nekozawa added quietly. A mischievous smile played on my lips as I directed the look at the robed young man, who was immediately suspicious having firsthand experience with that grin from the Hitachiin brothers which could only mean trouble. I gently picked up Kirimi and sat her on Nekozawa who seemed alarmed, but the sleepy preschooler leaned against him and nuzzled his chest. I tried not to laugh at the face the poor prince of darkness was making.

'What do I do?' he mouthed desperately.

I gestured covering her body up with his cloak and running his fingers through her hair. Nekozawa swallowed visibly before obeying my instructions with a blush on his face, obviously waiting for his little sister to suddenly wake up and leap from his grasp, but when she didn't Nekozawa looked so happy I felt my heart swell. I took out my cell phone and made a video of the precious moment. In fact, Nekozawa was so happy he lowered his hood and removed his wig, revealing the tears of joy pricking at his eyes.

My heart leapt into my throat. I could not take my eyes away from his face. The huge portrait of Umehito Nekozawa in the hallway above the staircase did him no justice; the living, breathing Umehito Nekozawa was infinitely cuter and more adorable especially with the way he was grinning madly. I wanted to kiss him again. My mind even goaded me by replaying the Truth or Dare shojo manga scene and when Nekozawa had kissed my cheek after discovering I had saved his club.

"A-Arigatou," Nekozawa quietly sobbed happily.

I heard a sharp gasp of surprise and my head swiveled to find Kuretake standing in the doorway gaping at the miraculous sight and was in danger of dropping the hot chocolate. I darted from the couch and rescued the drinks before they could be spilt.

"B-But how?" Kuretake gawked.

"It's thanks to Alexis," Nekozawa sniffed as he smiled gratefully at me. Kuretake regarded me with utter astonishment and I blushed sheepishly.

"Kirimi was tired," I said, trying to shift the spotlight away from me.

"This calls for a celebration tomorrow!" Kuretake squealed. Nekozawa and I shushed her. I made a strangled noise when the maid jumped at me and crushed my ribs with her killer embrace before leaping away, dancing on her tiptoes before gasping again. "I need a camera!" She dashed out of the door faster than the speed of light and came back just as speedily but with a digital camera; after one million pictures in the space of five minutes, Kuretake carried the sleeping preschooler to bed.

I sank onto the couch again, wrapping myself in the blanket, as Nekozawa scooted over. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Alexis-san. I can never repay you for the precious moments I have just experienced," he told me as he tenderly embraced me.

Immediately my face flamed. "You're welcome," I replied awkwardly into his shoulder. We sat side by side sharing the blanket as Kadomatsu popped in our feature presentation. I felt warm inside.

And it wasn't from the cocoa.

* * *

"I'm bored," I sighed as I sat in the Third Music Room eyeing the usual drama unfolding, most of the drama circulating around Tamaki, Haruhi, Kaoru, and Hikaru. Hunny had been invited to some sort of candy factory by Reiko-hime Kanazuki from the Black Magic Club and Mori had tailed along as chaperone.

"Kyouya, don't you have something for me to do?" I asked in a desperate, long shot attempt to alleviate my acute idleness. I was a worker bee, not a slacker; I _hated_ free time or more specifically not being able to occupy myself for long periods of time.

My employer-master glanced down at the floor where I lay near his table staring up at him. "Not really…The decorations are in place as well as the lights, the tree, the ornaments, the garland, tinsel…"

"Can I leave then?"

"No."

"Could you explain why?"

"I am not at liberty to," he replied distractedly as he returned to whatever he was working on.

'At least he doesn't ignore me,' I thought as I blew out another breath as I returned to intensely scrutinizing the ceiling. "Of all the times, now I would gladly run an errand for you and yet you have nothing to dish out. I think you're doing this on purpose."

"That is an interesting view."

Since Kyouya wasn't in a talkative or slave-driving mood, I stood and took up a position near the window sill where I leaned against the wall near the window and gazed out as the small but elegant white flakes lazily floated to the ground in massive piles. I crossed my arms and let my head bump against the wall as my mind wandered. It never snowed where I had lived in America; one would have to travel upstate in the winter to find snow. I wanted to go outside and savor the powder.

"We should go outside and make snowmen or snow angels," I muttered to myself, noticing my breath steaming part of the window.

I cringed when a loud, exuberant voice behind me exclaimed, "What an excellent idea, my daughter!"

"You're going to scare me to death one day, Tamaki," I scowled irritably as I put a hand on my chest to calm my racing heart. The blonde merely shot me an innocent look before dramatically pivoting to face the rest of the Host Club, minus Hunny and Mori.

"My daughter, Alexis, suggested a magnificent idea," the King announced boisterously. I didn't miss the way Kyouya's head darted up slightly or the way his dark eyes narrowed marginally as they focused on me. Tamaki, however, was oblivious to this and continued rambling on. "Winter is not a time where we should always be cooped indoors, growing fat, lazy, and wasting away! We should set an example to the beautiful ladies and handsome men of Ouran and organize a Winter Festival!"

Kyouya _and_ Haruhi were both giving me black looks and I frantically mouthed to them, "That wasn't my idea" while shaking my head furiously but subtly behind Tamaki's back.

But the damage had been done.

"The Winter Festival shall be held the day before the Christmas Ball!"

* * *

**Disclaimer: too see more about Duke Devlin, watch the Yu Gi Oh Abridged Series on youtube; the Abridged Series is owned by LittleWingedKuriboh. **

**Author's Apology: Sorry for the late update. I'm such a horrible authoress! I need to find my writing groove again but also an unfortunate sequence of events has prevented me from writing. My mother got a new CPU and hasn't installed Microsoft so there are no Word Documents for me to open which sucks and the USB ports don't function either so I can't even use my flash drive on the new computer and the school library was closed for the first half of the week. I'll try to update more frequently, but I make no promises since school has begun. **


	15. Cold Kyouya

And so it was decided that within two weeks the Winter Festival would be held the day before the Christmas Ball.

Before the Winter Festival, Kyouya was the turd the entire two weeks, especially since he blamed me for the expenses the festival would cost. Haruhi didn't speak to me for half of the first week which made me sad, which left only the mischievous orange-haired pranksters to speak to. Not that I have anything against the twins, but...they just seemed too preoccupied with their own little world so I let them be, undisturbed. That left only Nekozawa whose behavior toward me remained unchanged. The Christmas fever still burned hot within me, unlike the Scrooge-like chill that festered in the Ohtori.

But on some days that burning retreated to a dull, smoldering flame.

This was one of those days.

I sat in an empty booth, idly watching the Host Club entertain. _"Flames to dust, lovers to friends, why do all good things come to an end? Flames to dust, lovers to friends, why do all good things come to an end, come to an end, come to an--Why do all good things come to an end?"_ My quiet singing faded away into a sigh as my gaze wandered outside toward the white sprinkling beyond the window. Although I was no fan of cold and wetness, the pure white snow held my fascination.

It was Wednesday, and Haruhi and I were finally on speaking terms again. However, during Host Club hours she was distracted by duty, leaving me with no one intelligent to converse with. Tamaki--there was nothing but nonsense and fantasy there, although an occasional, shocking spark of insight came once a blue moon. Mori and his midget companion? Mori was no conversationalist and Hunny...although he acted like the sweets he consumed, I knew the senior was not ignorant as he portrayed himself to be. However, seeing the childlike Hunny so serious did not click. The twins...pranks and nonsense although I knew there were functional brains beneath all that. Like Hunny, the imagining the twins being serious was difficult.

And Kyouya?

Well, in his opinion, slaves don't have intelligent conversations with their masters. Or don't converse at all.

Or at least that was the impression he was giving me.

That impression had slapped me hard in the face, dampening my Christmas spirit like nothing else. Kyouya was a friend, and it pained me to watch him pretend I didn't exist. Sometimes I was tempted to cry but my stubborn pride, my damned pride refused to allow me to degrade myself in that fashion, even alone. After two days of attempting to apologize, make it up to Kyouya, and go the extra mile, I was throwing in the towel. I stopped extending myself to warm Kyouya's cold dislike toward me. There was no encouragement or discouragement to motivate me to continue trying to apologize, so I would wait.

Wait and rot until the day I died if I had to, even if it slowly killed me inside.

_"I want to pull away when the dream dies. The pain sets in and I don't cry. I only feel gravity and I wonder why flames to dust, lovers to friends, why do all good things come to an end?"_ I sang softly, eyes lowering to my black shoe tracing invisible patterns with my toe. I fell silent, wondering why I was moping over Kyouya being indifferent toward me. I had plenty of friends! I didn't need to focus on only one guy and ignore my other friends!

Resentment, anger, and determination flared brightly in an instant before cooling, nearly extinguishing as my heart grew cold. Fine. If that was how Kyouya wanted to be, then two could play at that game. I wouldn't care.

Crossing my arms over my chest and coolly observing everyone -eyes skimming over the Ohtori- I softly sang a new tune. _"I am still living with your ghost. Lonely and dreaming of the west coast, I don't want to be your downtime. I don't want to be your stupid game. With my big black boots and an old suitcase I do believe I'll find myself a new place. I don't want to be the bad guy..." _That black-haired snooty taskmaster. _"I am still dreaming of your face, hungry and hollow for all the things you took away. I don't want to be your good time. I don't want to be your fall-back crutch anymore..." _My singing became less of singing, and more muttered, irritated speaking. Anger made the words frightening.

"Alexis."

I lifted my head, keeping my face expressionless as I tried not to glower at Kyouya. Oh, my red-tinged emotion reared its ugly head!

Had I not known the Ohtori, I would have missed the marginal signs of concealed surprise--the slight widening of his eyes, his ebony eyebrows inching up ever so slowly, and the way his mouth curved into an 'o' before forming his next words quickly. "Hikaru and Kaoru broke a set of china attempting to perform a balancing stunt to impress our clients. The light blue set would match today's theme best."

Without any sign of acknowledgement, I stood mechanically with carelessness and strode past my master, forcing my eyes directed straight ahead. Before I passed Kyouya, I tossed my head slightly, flipping some hair over my shoulder arrogantly. A part of me felt horribly guilty for acting like such a cold-hearted bitch toward my friend, but the rest of me rationalized that my behavior was justified. My pride agreed, which was why I didn't turn around and apologize. Instead, with each step feeling heavy as though lead lined the bottom of my shoes, I walked away from Kyouya with my chin tilted faintly upward, lips a firm, unsmiling line.

I just hoped Kyouya could forgive me.

Each day the inner turmoil between my guilty conscience and my selfish pride worsened. However, in the end, when the dark-haired Ohtori approached and opened his detestable lips, pride won out each and every time. I only spoke when I was forced to, and even when I replied it was coldly or with detachment. I ignored him when he stood nearby, I obeyed him without question, and I acted like I had no heart. At least toward him. It killed me, and with each harsh word that tumbled out of my mouth, I flinched internally. Somehow, although he didn't show it, Kyouya was hurt. Or I'd like to think it hurt him as much as it did me.

However, the other Host Club members watched uneasily but did not interfere; I didn't know whether to be glad or disappointed. Lately Kyouya had been trying to evoke a normal reaction from me, but I'd caught on quickly to his plan.

"Wow, this is really good chocolate, Hunny," I commented, impressed as I set the fork down with a grin.

"It's actually part of a croquembouche, a French wedding cake," the happy go-lucky senior corrected.

I looked at the plate, then Hunny, and forked another piece. I shrugged. "It's chocolate."

Out of my peripheral vision, an obelisk of blue approached and my Kyouya senses tingled, making me acutely aware of his presence although I ignored him. He stopped beside the table. My suspicions were confirmed it was Kyouya as I watched Hunny's forced happiness fade into a reserved wariness as his eyes flickered from the figure standing to my left to me. The concern and pain in those large eyes nearly cracked my pride. Nearly.

"Alexis, the website needs attending to."

Not sparing a glance in Kyouya's direction, I swallowed although the chocolate tasted like ashes and forced myself to believe I was happy--just to fool everyone into believing I was happy. But I knew I wasn't fooling anyone, least of all myself. "Arigatou gozaimasu Hunny for allowing me to sample that delicacy," I thanked him with a fake smile. "You'll have to tell me more about it later."

"Why bother smiling if you don't mean it?" Ohtori asked quietly as we strode coolly away from Mori and Hunny toward an isolated table. The table was near a corner of the room beside a window, and the table possessed two chairs facing across from one another. Half the table was littered with paper and open files; the other half only had a Pineapple laptop.

"An abrupt change could disturb the customers and cause profits to drop," I replied. "I don't want to cause a scene." That French cake was beginning to scale its way back up my esophagus.

"Would the customers really notice such a trivial detail?"

Ouch. "It would take away from the comfortable, romantic atmosphere."

The journey to the table took much longer than necessary and when I slid into the wooden chair, my heart felt so heavy I swore it would tear me to pieces when it fell. However, the Pineapple laptop and the website was a welcome distraction from the internal battle raging within. But all too soon the website had been completely rearranged and improved, so I distracted myself by writing an apology letter on Word Document, a letter Kyouya would never recieve.

_Dear Kyouya,_

_I'm sorry I've been acting like such a snobby bitch lately. You have no idea how many times I've contemplated apologizing or begging for your forgiveness. Damn pride. I bet you're wondering why I've been acting this way for the past four days, and where the previous less bitchy me has been. She's hidden herself away in the depths of her mind, nursing her wounds remorsefully. I don't see why you're so upset over the finances of the Winter Festival. Money is material--you can gain or lost it at any time, but with a brain like yours I'm sure you'll compensate. Why have you been ignoring me? Or acting so condescending, so cold?_

_At first I tried to convince our airheaded king out of the Winter Festival, even going so far as to threaten Tamaki I would kidnap his dog, but nothing worked and you ignored me. So I just stopped trying. Why should I continue to exert myself if I'm not getting any positive or negative feedback? So I decided as of Monday near the end of the Host Club that two could play at your game and locked my kinder self in a box, banishing her. There's my point of view, interesting or no. However, I will never willingly give or show you this apology letter since my pride forbids it and I hate to be the weaker one. Sometimes I think I'm too kind for my own good._

_Anyway, I'll stop rambling since you despise that and as a business man, you like business to the point. I've made my presentation. Interpret or twist it as you like, Shadow King._

I was about to add more or a less offensive ending when suddenly the screen went black.

"Ah!" I wailed in suprise, hands flying away from the keyboard. "What happened?! What did I touch?!"

Suddenly Kyouya was standing behind me, leaning so his head hovered over my shoulder and oddly enough, I felt an intense, inexplicable amount of relief. Silently, his arms bent around me to reach the keyboard and he pressed the power button. The Pineapple refused to boot. "It's alright," he assured me. "The battery just died." The unexplainable relief spread throughout my body until I felt light. I didn't understand the feeling.

"Oh, okay," I murmured, trying to puzzle why I felt so comfortable with Kyouya Ohtori after four days of prickly, tense behavior between us. And it struck me.

This was the first normal encounter Kyouya and I had without any bitterness or battle of wills! The now explicable relief sprung from the fact that the raven-haired Ohtori did not hate me, at least not in this interraction, and for that I felt relieved. Perhaps he really didn't hate me. Perhaps I was wrong.

A semi-awkward silence passed when Kyouya straightened, not moving from behind me. I was so happy I hadn't broken Kyouya's laptop or he would _really_ hate me then.

He broke the silence first. "Did you fix the website?"

"Yes," I answered hesitantly, reluctant to return to acting cruel.

"I'll charge the laptop. You may leave, Alexis."

"Okay," I squeaked, more than ready to flee from the situation. Grabbing my heavy winter jacket from the coat rack, I dashed out of the Host Club without looking back, consumed by the worry of how to act around Kyouya tomorrow, Friday. Return to normal or continue my chilly attitude? At the front of the school I met Nekozawa, who stood out against the pale landscape, an ink blot on a white piece of paper.

"How was the Host Club?" he asked with a tiny smile as I shivered. Nekozawa knew. He was my confidant.

"I don't know," I frowned, torn. "Today it went like Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but at the end...his laptop died and for a moment Kyouya and I acted like we were before the Winter Festival was suggested."

"That's good," the President of the Black Magic Club encouraged. "It's a start which is definitely an improvement from the rest of the week."

"I guess," I murmured, frowning up at him uncertainly. With another powerful shudder, I edged closer to Nekozawa in an effort to stay warm, hugging my arms around myself and gazing at the steamy crystallized breath shooting from my mouth. "It's s-so cold."

"Kadomatsu will be here in a m-moment," Nekozawa assured me and I inched so close our sides were touching, noticing the young man was trembling with shivers. The cold coaxed unusual affection from me. I leaned my head against his arm, and Nekozawa draped some of his cloak over my shoulder which encouraged me to inch even closer so the side of my shivering body was pressed against his.

"Tom-morrow is Friday, then-n one more week of sc-school, the Festival, and f-f-finally Christmas and Christmas break," I muttered to myself, teeth chattering. Nekozawa rubbed my shoulder consolingly and I hugged him, grateful of the heat radiating from his thin body. Shutting my eyes, I inhaled and faintly detected the fragrance of candles, spices, and rose petals. The aroma was familiar, comforting, and I was grateful Nekozawa was one of my closest friends. A contented sigh escape me.

When a black limo pulled up and Kadomatsu opened the door, Nekozawa and I beside each other together, shuddering, as the heater chased away the cold.

"Thanks Nekozawa."

"You're welcome Alexis."

* * *

**A/N: Suprise! I wondered what the perfect way to kick off the New Year would be and I thought of this story. Here's a New Year's present. I have a Greek story I'm working on about Persephone's abduction for my Creative Writing class so I'm a bit preoccupied with that tale, inflamed and infected with Greek fire. Enjoy the update ^.^**

**Oh, I don't own: 'All Good Things (Come To An End)' by Nelly Furtado, 'Santa Monica' by Everclear, and the French cake I looked up on Wikipedia.**


	16. Winter Festival and Christmas Ball, Pt 1

_'What the…'_

I stood in the fancy suite, staring dumbly at the door. I must've stood there for a solid ten minutes like an empty-minded moron, my mouth drooped slightly open. Slowly, I raised my hand and lightly brushed my fingertips against the skin on my forehead, the place where _he_ had kissed it.

As realization crept on me, my body began turning up the heat until I had to shed my coat. I passed by a mirror as I went to hang it up on the rack. My face, my ears, and my neck were a bright red and darkening.

Shying away from my reflection, I hung the coat and locked the door, standing there with my fingers on the lock, wondering…reflecting…

How had it ended up like this?

The foundation of the bizarre events _had_ to be the Winter Festival…There was no other feasible explanation.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

From my high vantage point, I felt like I'd just taken the best seat in a movie theatre. Despite Kyouya's grumbling and multiple hang-ups, the Winter Festival was in full swing. Cloudy skies, a low, constant breeze, fresh snowflakes sprinkling over eighteen inches of overnight snow—the Host Club couldn't have asked for a better day to hold the Festival.

I could see students creating snow figures, angels with wings lying down and snowmen and women propped up. Ice sculptures of each Host Club member, provided by Tamaki, stood proud and beautiful, marveled by the girls. Horse-drawn carriages, snowball fights, snow forts, igloo-building, walks down quiet lanes with Host Club members…

"And you thought it wouldn't be any fun," I mused aloud, pointedly looking at Ohtori Kyouya.

He had come inside the building shortly after me where a café had materialized, thanks to Hunny. We sat at a table together, me sipping hot chocolate, he writing on a clipboard and forgetting his Earl Grey tea. I ignored Kyouya fangirls, like Medusa, glowering at me as they came in, the smiles and glee dissolving from their faces when they saw us. They didn't see that Kyouya and I were still on frigid terms, even after the laptop incident a week and a day ago.

"Fun for you, Tamaki, Haruhi, the Hitachiin twins, Hunny, and Mori? Yes. Fun for our guests? Yes. Fun for me? No," he clarified, giving me a cold look over the rims of his glasses. He hadn't tilted his head up, just his black eyes and they looked like two smoldering lumps of coal ready to burn me.

Before that happened, I decided to beat a hasty retreat. "I'll be outside, you know, supervising and…stuff…" Grabbing the styrofoam cup, I power-walked outside, feeling the chilly air nip at my nose, my cheeks, and the tips of my ears.

A snowball missed by face by inches. I felt the wind from it as the white, compact projectile flew past my jaw and exploded on the glass of the doors behind me.

"Missed!" cried a mischievous Hitachiin brother.

I dodged the second snowball with a knowing smile. "Nice try!"

"Damn," Kaoru and Hikaru exclaimed, disappointed as their heads popped up from behind a large snowbank near the doors. Apparently, they had transformed it into a stronghold.

"How'd your talk go with the Shadow King?" one asked, flashing an eager grin.

The other mimed his smile, his elbows digging into the top of their fortress as he rested his chin in his gloved palms. "Yeah. Has he…_warmed_ up to you yet?" As I blushed, they sniggered.

"It's not like that," I protested, annoyed they had been spying. "_He_ followed _me_ to the table!" Well that didn't help my case…

"Hey, Hikaru, I bet Kyouya paid for her hot cocoa," Kaoru whispered loudly. I ignored him, beginning to walk away to find Haruhi.

I heard Hikaru say, "Nah, Kyouya's too stingy. He probably made her buy both of their drinks." Rolling my eyes, I ignored their teasing laughter and sought out my commoner companion. Last, I had seen her; she'd been leading two clients to the horse-drawn carriages.

A pink and yellow blur intercepted and knocked me over in a tackle, and my cup slipped away from my hands. A childish face with large blue eyes and a large smile hovered above my face. "Hello Alexis!"

"Hi Kirimi," I greeted. "Did you get into the mints and chocolate at home?"

She chose to ignore my question and change the subject. "Have you seen my brother, Lexi-chan? I know he came here—Kuretake and Kadomatsu said so—but no one I've asked has seen him."

"He's quite the ninja," I said, "because I didn't know he was here."

"Ninja?" the little girl repeated, surprised. "My big brother isn't a ninja."

I had to grin at her gullibility. "Not yet, but he's training to become one. He's kept it hush-hush 'cause that's what ninjas do. They're subtle, quiet, and really good at disappearing. The black magic stuff is just a cover-up so Nekozawa-san can practice ninjutsu—which is the ninja equivalent to magic. But don't tell anybody that I told you."

"Okay, Alexis," Kirimi agreed, very seriously I might add. Then she scrambled off me and ran away, yelling over her shoulder. "I lied! I'm going to tell him!"

My mouth dropped open. The kid had guts to lie, literally, in front of my face. "If you ever find him!" I called back, brushing the snow off myself as I sat up. A gloved hand reached out to me, and my gaze went up the arm to find…

"Let me assist you, my daughter," offered Tamaki with his Prince Charming grin. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "I'll buy you another hot chocolate."

Unable to back out because he hadn't let go of my hand and he had one arm around my shoulder, I was forced to head toward the café with him. "I-It's alright, Tamaki. No big deal…Why are you still holding my hand?"

"I want you and Mother to apologize to each other."

_'He can't be serious…'_ I scowled up at him to gauge his seriousness. _'No! No! No! He's not kidding! He's seriously intending on making me apologize! I don't wanna apologize first!'_

"I don't even get along with my real mother," I whined, digging my heels into the snow. It slowed Tamaki but it didn't stop him. "Why should I apologize to him? He's the one who dissed the original music video, looked through my flash drive and violated my privacy, and has made me do a zillion chores during club hours, and…and what have I done to deserve this kind of treatment?!"

Tamaki had to release my hand to open the café doors. The moment he did, I ducked and spun out of his grasp, hitting the snow running in the opposite direction. The cold air chilled my lungs as I panted, running on the trampled, mushy snow.

"Alexis, come back! Stop running away!" Tamaki called. He sounded too close.

I picked up the pace, keeping my arms close to my body. "I don't want to!"

To increase my speed further, I leaned my upper body forward and let gravity literally drag me forward by the nose. It was like being in constant danger of falling on my face with my stumbling feet scrambling to prevent that from happening. I outstripped Tamaki and circled back…

Spotting an igloo, I crawled inside and hugged my knees, quietly panting. I watched my steamy breath rush out of my mouth like cloudy steam from a train. Slowly, very slowly my toes and fingers were so cold I couldn't feel them.

Had Tamaki given up?

As I was rubbing my gloves together, I heard snow softly crunching. I stilled.

Would he find me?

The snowy roof collapsed with a maniacal, dark "_fufufufufufu_" and I yelped out of alarm and shock, covering my head. When I peeked up, Bereznoff and a chortling Umehito Nekozawa towered above me. Oddly enough, Nekozawa wore black pants and a baggy hoodie instead of his normal coal-colored cloak. No wonder Kirimi hadn't 'seen' him. He almost blended in with normal people. Quite the ninja indeed.

"Peek-a-boo, I found you," he said in a sing-song voice, and I could've sworn his eerie smile had a hint of Hitachiin mischief to it.

I eyed him suspiciously, unappreciatively, still curled in a half-protective fetal position. "What do you want, Nekozawa-sama?"

He leaned in, still smirking, until I began tilting my head back. "Your soul," he whispered slowly, and—dare I think it?—seductively.

"Sorry, Dread Pirate Roberts, but not today. I hope you'll accept this." I threw a handful of snow into his face with a giggle.

Caught off guard, Nekozawa jumped back so fast that he tripped and fell. I, on the other hand, sprung to my feet and gracefully tripped over the remains of the igloo's walls. Lifting my face, I saw Nekozawa sitting up and I struggled to get up, my knees sinking as I put weight on them to get up.

Big mistake.

As I floundered, Nekozawa grabbed my sides and dragged me into his arms, holding me tightly against his chest. I silently squirmed to escape, my fingers prying at his hands. When had Nekozawa gotten this strong? As I continued struggling, the atmosphere shifted and it no longer felt like a light-hearted tussle between two friends. It felt more tender, more fragile and warmer like a young bud sprouting in the spring sun…

_'No!'_

The unfamiliar sensation made me feel vulnerable…and very afraid. With more zeal than before, I dug my heels into the snow, kicked it, arched my back, and pushed the top of my head into Nekozawa's shoulder. I struggled, I fought, and I writhed with desperation until I had successfully exhausted myself.

I was forced to lean my back against Nekozawa's chest, forced to lean on him. It made me painfully conscious of each breath he took, his tensed arms wrapped around my chest near the bottom of my ribcage, and…the fact that his precious cat puppet had disappeared.

"Wh-Where's…Bereznoff?" I asked with a cough.

Nekozawa cleared his throat. "I must have…dropped him…somewhere…" We both sat there in the snow, cold and gasping. "Alexis, if I let go of you to adjust my wig, will you stay?"

"Probably not," I admitted. I liked to run, I liked to tease, but I didn't like to be caught.

"Promise me you will," he said quietly, and my desire to flee doubled as my heart pounded.

I tried to change the atmosphere back to playful by playing dumb. "Promise I'll run?"

His arms tensed around my chest, readying for another escape attempt, but my legs didn't feel like escaping. My heart was another story…

I didn't like how he held me firmly so I couldn't escape yet gently so as not to hurt me. I didn't like how close his head was, even if it was behind mine. I didn't like the soft pleading tone in his voice. Most of all, I didn't like how my brain had fled the coop and left my crazy heart behind the steering wheel.

Nekozawa leaned his forehead against the back of my head. "Promise me you'll stay if I fix my wig."

_'No!'_

"Okay," I whispered. My mind cried, _'Traitor!' _My heart, ignoring my mind's turmoil, leapt ecstatically as Nekozawa cautiously unlocked his arms and used one to fix his wig. The other he used to keep me close. I could only lean back against Nekozawa's chest, my face probably a telltale red. One could say I didn't have the heart to run.

_'No!'_

"Alexis-chan, you don't have to lean against me." He sounded amused.

_'What?'_

"Huh?" I half turned in his lap to properly gawk at him. What did he just say?

"I wanted to make sure you didn't leave me alone," Nekozawa explained, his cheeks a rosy red from the cold. His gentle blue eyes gleamed merrily and mischievously from between the ebony bangs of his greenish-black-colored wig. "I wanted you to help me find Bereznoff."

My face got hotter, but this time, from embarrassment. "Oh."

"Are you alright, Alexis-chan? Your face is really red," he pointed out, concerned.

Stiffly but quickly, I scrambled to my feet and refused to look up at Nekozawa as I brushed the cold, melting snow from my pants. If I peeked a look up, he might notice my face was getting redder. Kami above, let me drop dead from mortification!

"It's nothing," I assured him quickly. "Your face is kinda red too. It must from the, eh, snow and how cold it is, you know? Let's find Bereznoff!" Turning my back toward him, I dropped to my knees and began to furiously dig in the snow, wishing I could stick my head in the hole like an ostrich and not have to explain why to Nekozawa.

* * *

"What took you so long?" the Host Club chorused unanimously, adding, "Where were you?" They were already prepped for the Christmas Ball, dressed in sleek tuxedos. They were a handsome group, and they were likely wondering why I had showed up late, covered in snow and flustered.

"I was hiding in an igloo from _him_." I pointed at Tamaki, leaning over, my hands on my knees. If only I could sleep. "I didn't realize it was almost time for the Christmas Ball. By the way, why was the Ball moved today?"

"Too many students were going on international trips or their parents have plans for tomorrow," Hunny explained with a sugarcoated smile. "Mori and I are going to a large feast with all of our relatives." Mori nodded in silent agreement.

"Oh."

Tamaki took charge with a snap of his fingers. "Get Alexis-chan ready! We have ten minutes to spare, and to be fashionable, the Host Club should arrive five minutes early! Hikaru, Kaoru, don't molest my daughter!" He shouted this as the Hitachiin twins grabbed my arms, lifted me, and ran with me into a large closet.

"Here she is, mother," both of them announced.

At first glance, I could've sworn that the twins had a triplet, a female triplet. The twins definitely had their mother's looks—the hair, the facial features, the body type. Also her sense of fashion.

"Hello, my name is Hitachiin Yuzuha," she introduced, smiling. "Let's hurry and get you into some of my models. I'll have your outfit, your cosmetics, and your hair done in time." She winked at me, then at her sons who winked back and disappeared, leaving me alone with their mother.

* * *

The transformation of the main ballroom, or ballroom number one, was...magical. It glowed with the merry atmosphere of Christmas, and as I silently appraised with a smile, I judged that this setup could give my Halloween masquerade a run for its money.

Slipping inside unnoticed, I smiled as I looked around.

All the golden chandeliers were alight; the rich crimson-colored curtains allowed students to watch the snow floating to the ground. A giant Christmas pine tree dominated the center of the room, proudly decorated in silver tinsel, colored lights, and ornaments. I noticed that stacked under the lowest tree branches on a red and white rug was a massive amount of presents stacked.

No banquet table did I spy. No decorations hanging from the ceiling or chandeliers, but the lack of decorated added an air of adult sophistication, a subtle touch. The main ballroom was unusually crowded with students and their parents. A majority of attendants stood around talking while a minority danced around the tree to classical Christmas Tunes, like _Jingle Bell Rock _in Japanese.

"May I have this dance?" inquired a handsome blonde-haired adult. Tamaki's father.

"Mr. Chairman! Hello," I greeted, accepting his outstretched hand. He guided me closer to the massive Christmas tree and we stopped on the outer edge of the ring of dangers. We faced each other, his hand on my side, my hand on his shoulder.

Almost immediately after we began, I stepped on his foot. "Sorry," I mumbled, blushing from discomfiture, staring down at the shiny golden buttons on his pearl-white tuxedo. Wow, the buttons were even decorated. I ended up stepping on the Chairman's foot again out of distraction.

"Don't get so flustered, my dear," he chuckled. "Keep your head up. I know I'm handsome but if you keep craning your neck down like that you'll get a crick and I won't get to see the lovely job Yuzuha did to your face."

The latter part of his teasing interested me enough to glance up at the Chairman's face. "How do you know Yuzuha applied my make up?" I asked, quickly adding, "Other than the fact I just admitted she did."

"Yuzuha told me, and I must say, you clean up beautifully, princess."

I frowned, trying to ignore the flattery. It made me suspicious. "I firmly believe you and Tamaki share genes," I declared. "You're both aesthetically pleasing, gentlemanly, and terrible flirts. Aren't you married?" It would be more than a little creepy if Tamaki's _dad_ were hitting on me.

He must've sensed my discomfort. "I am. Is it a crime to compliment a woman's appearances?"

"Father!" Tamaki exclaimed. "You found her!" I never had the opportunity to reply to the Chairman.

We stopped dancing, dropping our hands and I took an automatic step away from the Chairman. The other Host Club members came to a halt before us, staring at me and I returned the favor. The first words that came to mind were_ 'devastatingly handsome' _and _'beauty on steroids'_.

Mori had dressed in a navy suit with copper-looking buttons and a white undershirt. The twins wore matching light purple tuxedos, darker purple undershirts, and silver buttons. Oddly enough, Tamaki and Kyouya wore matching black tuxedos. Poor Haruhi came last, looking annoyed to be in a dress and wearing a long-haired brunette wig.

"Where's Hunny?" I asked, noticing the sweet, short senior was missing.

"He's with Kanazuki, that girl from the Black Magic Club," explained Hikaru.

Kaoru continued, "Last year, she tried to use magic to get Hunny to fall in love with her. Ever since then, they've been hanging out."

"Have they gone on any dates?" Haruhi mused aloud. Mori nodded, and I was surprised.

A Host Club member and Black Magic Club member dating? It was astonishing that either club would permit such a thing, but, when Mori pointed to the couple, they looked positively adorable dancing together—Kanazuki in a long, black dress, Hunny in a white tux with a navy undershirt.

They waved at us, and we returned the gesture. I noticed then that Tamaki's father had slipped away, overlooked, like a ninja.

"Your mother has amazing taste," Tamaki complimented the twins, eyeing me like a figure on display in a store window. I blushed, hugging myself, uncomfortable with the scrutiny as the other Host members looked me over too.

"You look pretty, Alexis-chan," Haruhi said in her flat voice. Her small smile conveyed her sincerity.

Mori's comment was unexpected. "Beautiful."

"You're a vision of royalty!" Hikaru and Kaoru praised. "Beauty swathed in purple!"

I felt my face becoming more and more flushed. "Quit it, you guys. I'm sure I don't look like as nice as what you're saying." Honestly, it was embarrassing. I wanted to crawl into one of the presents under the Christmas tree and hide.

The twins continued teasing me, pinching my cheeks and snaking their arms around my shoulders or waist, whispering compliments in my ear. I tried and failed to untangle myself, but the Hitachiins had me trapped and blushing every shade of red.

I was literally saved by the dinner bell.

* * *

After an uneventful, but delicious five-course meal, I managed to slip away from the Host Club and hide in a corner, watching students and parents dance around the tree. The number of dancers had increased, and I tapped my heel along, tempted to join but I restrained myself. With these heels, I didn't want to put any guy in an Ohtori-owned hospital with a hole in his foot. Idly, I wondered how the Chairman's feet were holding up from my missteps.

"Hello Alexis," whispered a quiet, and welcome voice.

I smiled. "Nekozawa, I haven't seen you all evening." Surprisingly, even he dressed in a devilish black tuxedo for the occasion, although he still wore the greasy green-black wig. I noticed he stood in my shadow.

"My parents are here," the dark prince explained. "They've been speaking to Chairman Suoh about graduation, and I didn't recognize you. I must say, you're quite enchanting tonight, Alexis, like the full moon on Halloween night."

"You're as terrible as those twins," I muttered, averting my gaze to the dancers, feeling my cheeks burning. Hearing Nekozawa use the words "enchanting" and referring to the full moon, night, and Halloween were…it made my heart accelerate.

"What?"

"Nothing important…Wait, do your parents know that I've been working in the mansion?" I asked curiously and somewhat apprehensively. I'd never met Nekozawa's parents, and I'd never come across any of their portraits in the mansion while cleaning.

"They know," Nekozawa confirmed. "They've known ever since I told them two months ago, although they were not as pleased about the idea." The President of the Black Magic Club shuddered and wiped his hands down the front of his raven-black tuxedo jacket as if brushing off cobwebs. "I'll need extra purging in the darkness for a few days," he muttered, his upper lip curled in disgust.

I had to smile. "You look frighteningly handsome, Nekozawa. Bewitching, even."

The pale senior stopped fidgeting. "Would you care to dance?" he asked with a small smile, and he held out his hand. Returning his smile with a shy one of my own, I accepted and we headed toward the large, beautifully decorated Christmas tree.

"I haven't gotten any better at dancing," I warned the dark prince as we stopped by the edge of the ring. I placed on hand on his shoulder as the other hand held Nekozawa's. "I haven't been practicing, and Hikaru and Kaoru's mom said these heels are pretty tall—four inches."

"Alexis-chan, I had shoes specially tailored to have a thin sheet of steel protecting the top of my foot." He tentatively rested his hand on my waist. His touch was light, ghostly, and nervous.

My shy smile became wry. "Nice to know you prepared for me, Nekozawa-sama." As we began the dance, I repeated the steps in my head. _'One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three, four, and again…One, two, three…'_

He said nothing, and I focused my gaze on his neck, which was at my eye level. The atmosphere felt apprehensive and awkward like a taut rubber band was going to snap and hurt someone. Nekozawa's shoulders were tense. Risking a peek up, I quickly averted my gaze back to Nekozawa's neck. He was staring down at my face with a funny expression. I couldn't even focus on the merry message of the Christmas music; my heartbeat was pounding in my ears.

When my cheeks began changing color, I cleared my throat uneasily and asked in a somewhat strangled tone, "Are you alright, Nekozawa? You look like you're entranced."

"Fine," he murmured absently, and the remainder of _Wonderful Christmastime_ was spent in awkward silence, the kind of awkwardness that is comparative to trying to fit together two puzzle pieces that look like they should fit but aren't.

After the dance, Nekozawa hurriedly excused himself, which left me staring dumbly after him like some love-struck idiot. Which I'm not. So I went the opposite direction and ran into Medusa and her posse of Gorgons-in-training.

"Merry Loner-mas, Ameba," Medusa smirked and her four companions followed suit. All of them wore darker-colored dresses and reminded me of Barbie, the Greek monster edition—the Sirens.

"Merry Moron-mas to you too," I replied with a forced cheerful smile as I quickly tip-toed past. Surprisingly, I hadn't been jumped. Maybe it was because Kyouya and I still weren't talking often, if at all…Yeah, sure, we'll go with that.

However, that line of thinking went ka-put when Ohtori Kyouya, the Shadow King himself, rammed his shoulder into mine.

I scowled up at him. "Watch it, Scrooge."

He brushed off the verbal barb with a shrug like it was nothing, and then held out his gloved hand. "Care to dance, my lady?" The look on his face told me it would be unwise to refuse.

Pursing my lips, I accepted and Kyouya led me back to the Christmas tree where I had just been. We assumed the dancing pose and began a graceful, quick-stepped dance to _Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy_. The music—quiet, low, and secretive—matched the gleam in my partner's glasses.

Instead of averting my eyes from his face, I tried to scan it in vain. Trying to read Ohtori Kyouya's face was like trying to read a closed book—it just doesn't work. Then, I settled for eyeing him suspiciously. His expression shifted only by degrees. A small, knowing, fleeting smile played about on his lips and his obsidian eyes revealed his amusement because of I was unable to glean anything from him.

When he pulled me closer, my cheeks instantaneously exploded red.

The Ohtori Kyouya and I were dancing like a couple, both of my hands on his shoulders, his hands settled on my waist.

I smiled with gritted teeth, my eyes pleading for him to move back. "Kyouya, what are you doing?" I hissed quietly through my teeth, trying not to move my lips. I couldn't believe he was actually doing this in public. Nearby dancers were beginning to notice and whisper with knowing smiles.

Kyouya only flashed his phony smiled and whispered through his gritted teeth. "Meet me outside of the Second Music Room in the corridor. Let no one see you." By this time, everyone in the vicinity had their eyes on us.

After he spoke those magical words, his cell phone went off and Kyouya pulled away from me completely, glancing down at the caller I.D.

Then the man had the audacity to walk away from me, chattering on the cell phone, leaving his entire backside exposed to my well-aimed shoe. My high heel bounced off his back near his shoulder and fell to the ground. Kyouya half-turned to shoot me a black glare.

I threw my other high heel at him. "Jerk!" I declared loudly for everyone to hear and stormed out into the hallway, picking up the hem of my dress and I ran toward the Second Music Room.


	17. Winter Festival and Christmas Ball, Pt 2

Of course, I got lost on the way there.

I wasn't used to navigating the school at night, and by the time I reached my destination, Kyouya had beaten me. I wondered why we were meeting here, and wondered at his motives. Fortunately, he had brought my shoes.

The Shadow King leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "You've become quite the liability," Kyouya mused aloud, raising one eyebrow as his gentle peudo-smile appeared on his lips.

I was unimpressed. "If you're going to insult me, Ohtori-san, have the balls to do it in public." Kneeling on the ground, I slid on my high heels and stood up, crossing my arms.

"I was merely stating fact. While male customers have been coming steadily and frequently for you, the female client numbers are steadily dropping for the rest of the Host Club; even Tamaki's charm cannot keep all of them. They are complaining that you are the only female in the Host Club and it is unfair. They want to join, and I cannot allow that," he stated, tilting his head so the gleam on his glasses blocked his eyes.

I leaned on the other side of the doorframe, mimicking Kyouya's position. "Aren't they aware of my situation? My 'debt', which, by the way, I still don't understand. I didn't show up to the Host Club, so I don't get paid those days. I don't understand how I racked up a debt…"

"You are using a cell phone of mine," Kyouya reminded me.

I rolled my eyes and returned to the previous subject. I didn't use the cell phone enough to rack up a debt that would hang over my head for three years, but it was useless to argue with the Shadow King. "So what are you going to do about it—the complaints, the dropping numbers?" I asked curiously.

Kyouya seemed interested in my reaction. He leaned forward, and I could see his sable eyes focused intently on my face as he broke the news to me. "I'm afraid you can no longer be a Host Club member, Alexis."

It came as a bit of a slap, really. A hard, back-handed slap. What would happen to my friendship with the other Host Club members?

Kyouya seemed to understand. "I'll give you a thirty percent discount."

"Okay," I said absently, tilting my head down to stare absently at his chest.

Not part of the Host Club? What would I do with all that free time after school?

Sure, I was busy enough with things at the Nekozawa mansion but…I wanted to stay in the Host Club, oddly enough. As much as Kyouya pestered me, as much as Tamaki scared me, in a way, I liked the attention. I liked eating cake and sweets with Hunny and Mori, who would be graduating this year. I liked learning how to be mischievous from Hikaru and Kaoru. I liked empathizing with Haruhi…

I wanted to stay and I couldn't…because of the clients. Because of envious women.

I smiled bitterly and wryly, saying quietly to Kyouya, perhaps to myself, "Again I'm reminded that the more fortunate or talented you are, the more you will be hated by others for it…because they hate what they don't understand...because they covet what they don't have." I blinked rapidly to keep the tears on my eyelashes. It might ruin the beautiful cosmetic job Hikaru and Kaoru's mother had done.

"Alexis," Kyouya said softly, "look up." He even pointed up with his hand.

Reluctantly, I obeyed and saw something hanging in the middle of the doorway. I squinted, using my tiptoes to boost myself up a little higher. Tears escaped the corners of my eyes when I narrowed them. "What is that thing?"

"Mistletoe."

I frowned. "Kyouya, I'm really _not_ in the mood for that."

He shrugged off the doorframe and stepped forward so he stood in front of me, and gently wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me loosely. The kind, intimate gesture made it much harder to hold back my tears. I embraced him back, hanging on, and cut off a whimpering sob that began to escape my mouth.

Not part of the Host Club…it was exile.

If I lost the Host Club, Nekozawa would be my closest friend. Probably my only friend in time. From what I'd seen from the Ouran High School Host Club, they were in their own little world, their own paradise away from silly girls, away from their troubles, away from cruel reality. As a new member, I'd brushed with their paradise a few times, but I'd never truly been let in…Now I was being barred from that world.

Oh, they would miss me at first. They would visit, sit with me at lunch, and invite me to the club…but, as time went on, they would forget me and remain in their tight, little, wonderful unit. That was how I lost so many friends, why I was never able to retain a friend for more than four years—they found another friend or group more interesting and moved on…moved away…leaving me alone, wondering what I had or had not done.

Now I was losing my friends in the Host Club…

As I stifled and held back more sobs, Kyouya said nothing but continued to hold me. Eventually, with one hand, he began to stroke my hair. Despite my sadness, the gesture was comforting, soothing, and it struck me that ice-cold Kyouya truly did belong in the Host Club—he definitely knew how to handle a crying woman.

I was almost composed, aside from a few hiccups, when Kyouya pulled back. His hand trailed on my waist as he stepped back, and his touch left a funny burning, tingling sensation like a ghostly echo of his fingertips. One hand went to my shoulder—a friendly gesture, not an intimate one—and I wondered what was with the mixed signals.

"Ready to go back out?" he asked.

I hiccupped. "In a minute. Is my make up smeared? Has it run around my eyes?"

Kyouya leaned in so close that I could've counted his eyelashes. "Not at all," he assured me before stealing a quick, chaste kiss. He offered me a restrained, close-lipped smile, a true smile. "Let's go before the others begin worrying and asking questions." Grabbing my hand, he gently pulled me back down the long, dark hallway.

The entire way, I stared at the back of his head. Such bittersweet emotions! I had been told I would be leaving the Host Club, yet Kyouya had effectively distracted me with an impeccably timed kiss. Perhaps Ohtori Kyouya was a smoother gentleman than Suoh Tamaki.

"Sh-Shouldn't we go back separately?" I stammered. "I mean, I just called you a jerk and threw my shoes at you in front of everybody. Wouldn't it be weird if we came back holding hands?"

He released my hand as if it had turned into a snake. "It would," Kyouya agreed, "which is why I'm leading you to the women's restroom. Finish composing yourself before you return to the main ballroom. Alexis."

I paused, about to go down a different hallway. "Yeah?"

"I saw your apology on my laptop. I accept." Kyouya made his exit while I tried to remember what I had apologized for. When I remembered, I groaned. Like our silent treatment feud even mattered anymore!

On my way to the bathroom, I passed a few snogging students, keeping my head down so they couldn't see my face. I slipped into the nearest lady's bathroom without being questioned, although I did get a few funny looks for rushing into a stall. I stood there, my hand on the lock, wondering how it had come to this.

I was no longer a Host Club member, and Kyouya had kissed me…on the lips…

My fingertips went to my lips, brushing over them lightly. Oddly, Kyouya's kiss had felt…static. Surprising, but static. If he had held the kiss longer, I wouldn't have been sure whether to kiss him back or not.

* * *

I wasn't surprised to find the Host Club lurking outside of the bathroom. Tamaki pounced first, skidding to a kneeling position in front of me, grabbing my hands. He looked apologetic. "Kyouya told me he was going to apologize," he confessed.

Thankfully, Haruhi pushed the teary-eyed King back. "Let her breathe, Tamaki."

Hikaru and Kaoru double hugged me, squeezing a wheezy cough out of me. "Poor Alexis-chan! You're single again now that you and Kyouya have broken up!"

"We were never together," I muttered, but my voice was drowned out by the twins' round of hysterical waterworks before they began offering me the opportunity to date one of them. Hunny offered me a slice of cake. Mori patted my shoulder. Tamaki suffocated me after extricating me from the Hitachiins. Haruhi tried to give me enough room to breathe and keep my head.

I almost cried again. This chaotic, fun-loving scene reminded me what I'd be missing out on…Damn fangirls. No wonder Medusa and her crew had been so smug. They had known.

In the end, Haruhi saved me by keeping the Host Club at a reasonable distance. We returned to the main ballroom, where presents were being handed out. The music had been turned down low, and students and parents were beginning to leave after the student opened their present.

Haruhi had to leave immediately after she got her Christmas gift, claiming her father expected her to be home in fifteen minutes. Tamaki was hot on her heels, offering to escort her home in his limo. Hunny and Mori followed suit, saying they had a long day head of them tomorrow what with the festival, which left me alone with the Hitachiin twins.

"Hate to abandon you, Alexis, but our mother beckons," they apologized before running for the entrance. I could see their mother standing outside in the window, in the snow, waving her arm before she ran toward a limousine.

Waiting for Nekozawa, I tugged on the ribbon and the bow neatly fell apart. I opened the lid and squealed, quickly placing the lid back on. Hopping up and down excitedly, I squealed like a fangirl and hugged the box to my chest tightly. A laptop! My very own laptop! I twirled around, giggling insanely. Oh the thrills I would have! I didn't even notice Nekozawa approach me.

"Alexis-chan." He said my name formally, indifferently, but I didn't notice. I had a laptop, baby!

"This is so cool, Nekozawa! I got a freaking _laptop_! I've wanted one for a few years now!" I babbled, spinning once. The butterflies and bubbles of excitement in my chest and stomach vanished as I got a good look at the expression on Nekozawa's face. Something was off, wrong… "Nekozawa?"

He clenched his fists at his side. "Stay away from the manor. You're not welcome. Kuretake and Kadomatsu will have your belongings packed and waiting outside in the morning." At first, the President couldn't bear to look at me, but when he worked up the nerve, his normally gentle eyes glared at me through the bangs of his greasy wig. Nekozawa actually shook with emotion.

I actually took a step back. "What did I do?" I asked incredulously. Another verbal blow. First Kyouya, now Nekozawa. Had I turned into a piñata? "Is it your parents? Do they not like me?" Why was he so upset with me? This animosity had reared its head out of nowhere.

"May the curses of the Nekozawa ancestry descend upon you" was his icy reply and Nekozawa began to storm out of the room. He only got so far before he began swaggering, and I immediately realized it was from too much light exposure. Nekozawa could only stand the chandelier lights for so long before it activated his condition.

I felt like a ghostly observer, trapped in another time zone, as I watched the President of the Black Magic Club collapse on the tile floor. Kirimi, Kuretake, Kadomatsu, and the Chairman were the nearest who rushed toward him. Nekozawa, in a fit, pushed them all away and got to his feet, staggering into a run as he left the room. His little sister and his staff followed, calling his name.

Calmly, I took off my high heels and placed them in the box with the laptop, and, like a bewitched being or a zombie, I walked out of the main ballroom. Either time sped up or I became absent-minded, but I found myself in the Third Music Room. It was unusually bare—just an ordinary room—but I set down my box and found a small, hard-to-access hiding spot. I curled my legs to my chest and covered my eyes with my palms, not caring if I smeared the makeup anymore.

The Ball was over and Christmas was ruined for me.

In that small, overlooked place, I cried without restraint. Horrible agony and wailing escaped my mouth, muffled only by the skirt portion of my royal purple dress. Angrily, I wiped my eyes, smearing the eye shadow and mascara. I continued wiping away the cosmetics on my face until it had gone onto my hands or had been washed away by my tears.

The night's events, the emotions I'd been holding back, they all ambushed me at the same time—exile from the Host Club, Kyouya's kiss, receiving the laptop, being teased by the Host Club, mocked by Medusa and her posse, and Nekozawa's parting curse…

I choked on an erratic, shaky sob, hiccupping as I moaned in emotional agony. Betrayed…betrayed by Nekozawa and Kyouya, my most trusted people…abandoned by the Host Club…left to the she-wolves, Medusa and her posse of humiliation-thirsty underlings…

I don't know how long I carried on in this manner—bawling my heart and soul out through my eyes—but eventually I had to shakily crawl out of my hiding place. I did so reluctantly, half-blind with tears, searching for a trashcan. My stomach clenched violently from my relentless emotional fit, and I began coughing, gagging, until I leaned against a white marble pillar and vomited at the base. I puked the five-course meal that didn't taste so good now, threw up all the liquids I'd ingested, and vomit kept cascading out of my mouth at regular intervals until I felt completely hollow, physically and emotionally.

Disgusted with the vomit on the ground and gagging on the acrid, burning leftovers in my mouth and throat, I moved away from the pile and sat near a window, still crying half-heartedly, hiccupping and dry-heaving. By then, the sun was beginning to rise early in the morning. I lay down on my stomach on the floor, and stared at my silhouette in the squeaky-clean tile. My eyes couldn't produce any more tears, my stomach hurt like hell, and I felt like shit.

"Merry Christmas," I told myself sarcastically, my voice cracked and broken by upset hiccups.

"Alexis?"

A monosyllable curse in my head, I glanced up as the lights in the room switched on and I flinched, shutting my eyes and ducking my face downward. It was too bright, too painful. At the sound of approaching footsteps, I squinted out of the corner of my eyes. Black John Lobb shoes were headed my way. Kyouya kneeled before me, his shadow blocking the light from my face. I breathed in shakily and avoided his piercing obsidian eyes.

"What happened?" Although his tone was soft and compassionate, my ears detected an undertone of malice.

My eyes teared up again, and my breathing became more erratic. "N-N-Neko…" It was like hyperventilating while trying to speak with a cracking voice. Hopefully, Kyouya could make sense of my unintelligible, choppy babble. I tried again. "Nekoza-a-awa k…kicked…m-me ou-out…of the…manor."

To me, it sounded like I was saying "Nekozah-ah-ahwa kicked me ow-owt of th' man'r."

Kyouya pulled out what looked like a white satin handkerchief from his tuxedo jacket and gently wiped the fresh tears from my face. With a frown, Kyouya pulled me to my feet. I allowed him to, standing there like a robot, waiting to be ordered or pulled somewhere. After bending over to grab my Christmas present, I stared at his face blankly, watching as his dark eyes scanned my face with concern.

Then, Kyouya took my wrist and I voluntarily trailed after him like an obedient, brain-dead child. Kyouya took me outside of Ouran, and helped me into a black limo before ducking inside after me. He said something to the driver, and then looked at me again out of the corner of his eye.

As the limo passed outside of the school gates, I began taking off my jewelry beginning with my beautiful hanging diamond earrings. I dumped the expensive baubles in the Christmas box, adding my hair clips and bobby pins next. When my eyes caught on the beautiful things inside, I averted my head in disgust and covered the box with its lid.

Kyouya made a phone call, but I didn't feel like eavesdropping. Instead, I stared out of the window at the few passing cars in the streets. Not many people were out and about in the very early hours of Christmas day.

The limo stopped by a large, well-lit building. Kyouya climbed out of the limo and held his hand toward me. I hesitated a moment before accepting it, and I awkwardly clambered out of the limo with much less grace than the Shadow King. I purposely forgot my present in the black limousine; Kyouya either didn't notice or didn't let on he had.

Leading me into the building by the wrist, Kyouya nodded at a receptionist as we entered the lobby. The receptionist, who was a male, returned the gesture and tossed a pair of keys, which Kyouya caught with his free hand. As we continued down the hall, I caught the receptionist shooting me a sympathetic frown.

By the time we were in the elevator, I knew the place was a hotel—a fancy well-to-do hotel where only the rich and wealthy could afford to stay. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kyouya press the button to the highest floor. As the elevator rose, a Japanese Christmas song played over the speakers and I sighed, reminded of the earlier events. Kyouya said nothing, didn't comfort me, just stood there…

When the elevator doors slid open, Kyouya took my wrist again and led me to a room, unlocking it with the keys the receptionist had thrown at him. We went inside and Kyouya, lifting the hand he had grabbed, dropped the keys in my palm, folding my fingers over them.

"I rented this suite for two weeks, and by the last day, school will be in session again," he explained, his dark eyes locking with my confused ones. His hand hadn't left mine, the one holding the keys. "I'll send someone to buy and deliver some necessities."

I stared at him in bewilderment, blown away by his generosity. "You're being so nice," I blurted out stupidly.

Kyouya Ohtori allowed me to see a glimpse of his fleeting but ghostly true smile. "Consider it a token of my affection."

"You…" After all the drama, it was difficult for my brain to process even more. "You…like me?"

"For a while," he admitted without blushing, "because it was a strong crush, but I can't pursue you. I haven't completed my goal, and you've already chosen Nekozawa, or you had until a few hours ago. Nekozawa thought you had chosen me."

"Which is why he snapped at me," I realized aloud as my mind began to link the nonsensical, chaotic drama into a sequence of events. Oddly and frighteningly enough, it all seemed…planned. Like someone had set the three of us up. Or maybe that was me being paranoid.

Kyouya couldn't resist adding, "If I had chosen to pursue you, Nekozawa would have stood no chance." Once again, I could sense the sheer, tremendous, and terrible power of the Shadow King in that statement.

"I don't doubt it, Prince Charming," I replied, offering a little smile. Finally, Kyouya released my hand. Stepping forward, placing both of his hands on the side of my head, Kyouya Ohtori pressed his lips against my forehead and kept them there in a prolonged kiss, and I held my breath. There was no way this could be happening.

Dropping his arms and stepping back, Kyouya showed me his full-fledged true smile, a smile from the heart. It made him look so different—so sincere, so compassionate, and so caring. But even in that true smile there was a hint of sorrow, a pinch of pity.

"Good night, Alexis-chan," he said softly, and left the room. I was too dumbstruck to say goodbye as Kyouya left.

_'What the…'_

I stood in the fancy suite, staring dumbly at the door. I must've stood there for a solid ten minutes like an empty-minded moron, my mouth drooped slightly open. Slowly, I raised my hand and lightly brushed my fingertips against the skin on my forehead, the place where _he_ had kissed it.

As realization crept on me, my body began turning up the heat until I had to shed my coat. I passed by a mirror as I went to hang it up on the rack. My face, my ears, and my neck were a bright red and darkening.

Shying away from my reflection, I hung the coat and locked the door, standing there with my fingers on the lock, wondering…reflecting…

How had it ended up like this?


	18. Time Flies Forward

Kyouya was true to his word. The next morning, when I woke up, I found my Christmas gift box sitting on the closed toilet lid. In addition, I noticed the possessions that had been in the Nekozawa manor had been brought too. And I had new clothes, thanks to Kyouya.

During the two weeks I stayed in the fancy suite, I realized how much Kyouya had helped me and longed for the Winter break to end so I could thank him in person. I'd already sent him several emails of my own Photoshop-created thank you cards to show him my sincere gratitude, but that irritating bastard hadn't replied.

Kyouya had improved my Japanese, he encouraged the Host Club to show up for the Masquerade (which saved the Black Magic Club), he had offered me a job so I could earn money to live off the school grounds, and he had provided me a place to stay when Nekozawa had kicked me out. Kyouya had comforted me when I really needed it (except during our Silent Treatment era).

And I had been too blind to see his subtle affection toward me until the epiphany dropkicked my brain.

I'd lost Kyouya and my place in the Host Club, and to boot, I'd also lost Nekozawa.

During the Winter break, another epiphany struck like a stab in the back.

It had bothered me that the night of the Christmas Ball seemed like a set up from when Kyouya had offered to dance with me to the point where Nekozawa was damning me. After much reflecting, after repeating the events slowly, I figured out what must have happened.

Medusa and her posse had known, somehow, that I was going to be kicked out of the Host Club—something I had yet to figure out how they accomplished.

Being _jealous Kyouya_ _fangirls_, naturally they had probably been wishing for me to drop dead when their idol had pulled me close.

Being jealous and _intelligent_ fangirls, Medusa and her gang had been suspicious when Kyouya and I had suddenly stopped dancing and realized something was up when I threw a fit and ran from the main ballroom, Kyouya leaving not long after.

They had followed and spied on us, and, knowing that Nekozawa had a soft spot for me in his heart, convinced the dark prince to tag along. Nekozawa had seen the situation in the worst possible light, suspecting the worst. I suspected poor Nekozawa probably nearly cursed Kyouya or me to hell on the spot when Kyouya Ohtori had hugged me and then stole a kiss from me.

It was little wonder that Umehito Nekozawa wanted "the curses of the Nekozawa ancestry" to fall on my oblivious head.

When I thought back on my time in the Nekozawa manor, I reminisced the irony that once upon a time ago I had wondered if the President of the Black Magic Club ever got angry, and mused how it would be to behold his terrible rage. Well, I didn't have to wonder anymore.

During the two-week Winter Break, members of the Host Club called me multiple times, especially Tamaki. They had heard about my last encounter with the infamous light-fearing dark prince, and assured me that Nekozawa wasn't worth it, that Nekozawa would get over it eventually, and that I had the Host Club to rely on. Tamaki added that the Host Club would even make it their mission to help me become Nekozawa's girlfriend. After ensuring the hopelessly romantic King that wasn't necessary, I assured him and the others that I was holding up and recovering.

On New Year's, I refused the Host Club's invitation to go with them to the shrines, but they wouldn't hear of it and I ended up coming anyway, stuffed into a black kimono with a cherry blossom petal design, and dragged along for the ride. Hunny bought me so many treats that, after I began to get nauseous from eating so many, I had to refuse. Mori hugged me, and surprisingly enough, it wasn't stiffly. Hikaru and Kaoru made it their personal mission to make me smile, and were they good at it! Tamaki, being the overly sensitive man he is, hugged me multiple times and bought me useless and insane commoner's items that had me laughing and him sulking. Kyouya kept a reasonable distance but smiled slightly when I thanked him. Haruhi and I managed to vanish from the others and bought tea from a vender.

"Are you sure you're really alright, Alexis?" Haruhi inquired, sipping her tea and staring at me. Her brown eyes scanned me, calculating. "Your hair got darker, and you seem like you're trying too hard to force yourself to be happy."

Smiling cynically, I didn't answer immediately but gulped down a mouthful of scalding green tea. I decided Lipton was my cup of tea. "I'm not alright, but I'm getting there…This is actually my first time outside of the suite since I checked in. Originally, I planned on sleeping in late, watching movies, coasting on the internet, or reading…but this is probably the most fun I've had."

Haruhi didn't look convinced. "You can tell me how you're really feeling."

I had to smile because Haruhi had brought this upon herself, and so I began to sing, "Gloom, despair, and agony on me! Deep, dark depression, excessive misery! If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all! Gloom, despair, and agony on me!" When I had lived in America, my dad used to sing the same tune to me in a warbling, groaning voice when I had acted pessimistic or like an angsty teenager; he'd said it was from an old TV show.

Haruhi stared at me blankly or with surprise…I wasn't sure which because the expression on her face made me bust out laughing at the end of my depressing tune. Unfortunately, I couldn't explain the origins of the song to Haruhi because the Host Club discovered our hideaway.

I returned to the suite late that day, exhausted and happy, but the joy couldn't last forever. Fortunately, I found a decent apartment within a few miles of Ouran High School, and after I bought I bike, I would ride to school and back daily. With the assistance of the Host Club, I got settled in the apartment within the day because I hadn't have a lot of physical baggage.

School began in the Spring…

On the first day back, I found an envelope in one of my binders and in it was a check with an insane amount of yen. A note from Kyouya explained that I never had a debt, and he used the threat to ensure I wouldn't leave the Host Club.

I used part of the check to pay my rent until the end of the year, some I saved for my trip back to America after senior graduation, and a portion I used to visit the Host Club once every two weeks…

Graduation came, Hunny and Mori left…

The next year, Kyouya and Tamaki went out into the world…

Then, finally, the Hitachiins, Haruhi, and I graduated, and the Ouran High School Host Club was officially dissolved because all the members had graduated. Tamaki, Hunny, Kyouya, and Mori had too much to do, but everyone resolved to meet at least once a year at Ouran to reminisce and celebrate the creation Host Club…

I moved back to America and lived with my dad…

After graduating from a university, I majored in psychology and minored in graphic design…

It wasn't until the ninth anniversary of the Host Club meeting, when I was about twenty-five, that I saw Nekozawa again.


	19. Oh Baby, Oh Baby

I darted under the cover of the pink building's overhang and paused there, gazing at the torrential downpour of rain, the rain I'd just run through to from the Ouran High School parking lot to reach the building. To say it was raining cats and dogs would have been an understatement; by now, it was dumping cows and horses.

"Dang," I commented aloud to myself, awed by the sheer power of nature, "I hope the others don't have trouble getting here because of the weather." Fortunately, there was only a heavy downpour and no thunder or no lightning yet.

Then, after another few moments of absent-minded staring, I opened the doors to the building and headed toward the end of the northern hallway at a brisk, excited walk. By the time I reached the top floor of the southern wing, I was smiling like an idiot and racing toward the Third Music Room, panting from excited hyperventilation and eager to reach those ornate double doors. Fond memories of my three years with the Host Club came to mind, and as I raced down the hall, almost hydroplaning from the water on the bottoms of my shoes, I could see myself racing down this same hall in my mind's eye.

Back then, when I had been a member of the Host Club my first year, I had raced down this hallway with anxiety and fear of being scolded by "Dad" and "Mom". Now I ran because I didn't want to miss a moment with the boys and Haruhi.

My shoes slipped as I tried to skid to a cool stop before the double doors, and I ended up landing hard on my butt. _'Maybe I should leave the cool thing to Kyouya,'_ I considered as I quickly stood, smoothing down my clothes and blushing. Hikaru and Kaoru would have laughed outrageously at my 'smooth' maneuver if they had witnessed it.

Smiling widely, my heart pounding eagerly, I shoved open the Third Music Room double doors dramatically.

The orange-haired Hitachiin twins, Haruhi, and Tamaki all stared at me oddly. Then the devilish doppelgangers reacted first, smirking, each raising an eyebrow.

"Trying to imitate Tono, Lexi-chan?" they asked, sniggering.

I stuck out my tongue. "Why would I want to imitate that idiot?" I asked with a playful smile, leaving the doors open in my dramatic wake.

Instead of curling into his emo corner and fertilizing fungi, Tamaki turned to Haruhi with watering eyes and pointed at me. "Haruhi, Alexis-chan is mocking me!" To my knowledge, thanks to Kyouya's updates, Tamaki had succeeded his father in the business when he had retired, and the Suohs were still an awe-inspiring and fearsome force to be reckoned with.

"What am I supposed to do about it?" the brown-haired woman asked indifferently. In the years that had passed, she had successfully become a lawyer, and because of her connections with the Host Club, she was famous and well known.

Tamaki, melodramatic as ever, flailed his arms in the air, and I smiled nostalgically as I watched his bright purple eyes tear up at will. He also brought out his pitiful face. "Stop her! Tell her to behave! Do something, Haruhi!"

Haruhi rolled her large brown eyes as Tamaki clung onto the front of her shirt, kneeling before her on his knees. I noticed that unlike previous years, Haruhi didn't push Tamaki away or gently pry his fingers off, and I had to smile. Their relationship had deepened, had matured with the passing of another year.

Out of the blue, the twins commented, "Haruhi and Milord are engaged."

"Kaoru! Hikaru!" the couple cried out despairingly as my jaw dropped. Haruhi's expression was pained, although her cheeks had a telltale pink stain on them and she glared at the Hitachiins. Tamaki, on the other hand, seemed annoyed that his thunder had been stolen and, like he did in our high school years, the blonde monarch went to discipline the twins.

"_WE_ were supposed to announce that when _everyone_ was here!" he yelled indignantly, scowling as he smacked Hikaru and Kaoru on the back of their heads with a rolled up magazine that mysteriously appeared in his hands for the occasion.

"_Finally_!" I blurted out, hopping up and down with excitement. "I thought you two thickheads would _never_ admit your feelings for each other! Do you know how tortuous it was to watch you two and drop super obvious hints?"

"That's what _we_ said," Hikaru grinned, rubbing the back of his head.

Kaoru added with a mischievous, "I thought we would have to resort to locking them into a closet. Kyouya gave us permission to this year if you two were still being idiots."

"Speaking of Kyouya, where is he?" Haruhi asked, glancing at me. I shrugged. The brown-haired lawyer turned to her blonde-haired fiancé, who was the best friend of the Host Club's Vice President.

"And Mori and Hunny," Hikaru and Kaoru threw in, their response chorused. The three of us stared expectantly at Tamaki.

The King held up his hands in an 'I surrender' gesture. "From what I remember, Hunny's wife, Kanazuki, is expecting pretty soon. That might be why she and Hunny aren't here, and Mori might be with Hunny to keep him calm, but I'm not sure what's keeping Kyouya."

"Why don't you call him?" the twins suggested, and Tamaki flushed.

"I was just about to!" he said defensively, pulling out his cell phone and, to everyone's surprise, Kyouya's ringtone went off.

"That's not creepy," I whispered to the orange-haired devils as Tamaki answered. Hikaru and Kaoru had followed in their mother's footsteps and had become famous fashion designers with their own line of ritzy, popular, and expensive clothing. Often, when I wasn't working part-time with their mother, the twins would use me as their model.

"Sssh," Hikaru whispered, placing his index finger on his lips. "Something's up."

I turned my attention back to Tamaki, and discovered Hikaru's assumption was dead on. The blonde's purple eyes had widened with surprise and alarm, and his tone as he spoke to Kyouya was astonished and serious—not his idiotic panicking or Haruhi-inspired panic, but true concern.

"We'll be there as quickly as possible, Kyouya," Tamaki promised, shutting his phone smoothly with one hand. His eyes blazed with determination and chivalry, but also a glint of urgency. "Hunny's wife is undergoing a C-section as we speak," he announced. "Kanazuki went into labor this morning, and apparently the baby isn't coming out all the way. The doctors suspect something is wrong. Hunny is with his wife, and Mori is already at the hospital with Kyouya."

It turned out to be a good thing that I hadn't shut the double doors. Everyone raced out of the Third Music Room, Tamaki in the lead, closely followed by Hikaru and Kaoru. I slowed my pace to match Haruhi's so as not to leave her behind; she had never been as great of an athlete as the rest of us.

"Tamaki, call the limo to meet us outside!" Haruhi yelled, and the blonde thanked her, promptly obeying.

As we darted past a tall window, I noticed the storm hadn't let up. "It's going to be hell getting to the Ohtori hospital," I told her, voicing my thoughts. "The rain and wind haven't let up at all since this morning."

Haruhi panted, but didn't slow. Her brown eyes darted to the next window we passed. "Good thing there's no thunder or lighting."

We burst out of the pink building and into the courtyard, racing against the wind and time. Icy droplets pelted my face and I held my arm above my eyes to shield them. Hikaru or Kaoru almost slipped once, and we quickly piled into the black Rolls Royce limo waiting along the curb's edge.

"Go to the nearest Ohtori hospital," Tamaki ordered before the driver could fully turn around and ask. The limo lurched forward, pushing our backs against the seats as we sped out of the high school parking lot. Hikaru and Kaoru had their cell phones out, and announced they were trying to call Hunny or Mori. Haruhi kept her eye on Tamaki, who had received another call from Kyouya.

"We're on our way in the limo, Kyouya," the blonde informed him, and paused. "No, it's too windy for us to be picked up by helicopter…How's Mori? Does he know we're coming?...Black Magic Club members are there too? I'd almost forgotten that Kanazuki was a member of their club. The princess of curses…"

Gazing out the window, I eavesdropped on Tamaki's conversation with Kyouya and the Hitachiin's on-speaker conversation with Mori. Annoyed at my current helplessness, I anxiously muttered a nursery rhyme to myself, "Rain, rain, go away, come again another day…"

Unfortunately, we intercepted heavy traffic in the surface streets and just then, over the phone, Kyouya informed us that there had been an accident on one of the highways and a portion of the highway had shut down. The limo slowed to a stop, and crept forward slowly. The Hitachiins hung up with Mori because he wasn't a great conversationalist and groaned aloud. Tamaki, who had his phone on speaker, looked ready to leap out of the Rolls Royce and Haruhi was staring at the traffic through the front windshield. It was at times like these when I wondered if Nekozawa's curse from nine years ago was real.

Forty-five long and terse minutes later, we arrived in front of the nearest Ohtori hospital and found Kyouya waiting for us just outside the sliding hospital doors. Tamaki led the race out of the limo and we noisily herded into the hospital receiving area, striding down the halls with Kyouya leading the way.

"The operation has been going well," the handsome raven-haired Ohtori informed us as we breezed toward the operating room to wait. "It'll take a while to determine the outcome, however. Hunny's wife went into labor this morning, and despite her pushing and the doctor's efforts, they suspect the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby somewhere."

The gang piled in the elevator, and we stood in there, shifting and fidgeting with restless anxiety in the silent elevator. When the doors opened, Kyouya led Tamaki, Haruhi, the Hitachiins, and I down a hallway where we could see Mori seated on a bench at the far end. The tall, stoic man had his elbows on his knees, and his head hung down.

"Mori!" Hikaru and Kaoru yelled, dashing forward in a burst of pent-up concern. Tamaki jogged after them, fretfulness evident in his handsome features. The three skidded to a stop before him. "Where's Hunny?"

Mori pointed toward a set of white, closed push-open double doors close to the bench. Although I hadn't been with the Host Club long, after many reunions and years of occasional hanging out, I knew the distant, distracted look on Mori's face meant he was really worried. It was one of the few certain things I knew about the otherwise mysterious, silent handsome man.

"Hunny and Reiko-san will be alright," Hikaru tried to assure Mori, taking a seat on one side of Mori. The twin placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Reiko has Von Willebrand disease," Mori said, his voice flat and deadpan. If anything, he seemed more down in the dumps.

Hikaru, Tamaki, Kaoru, Haruhi, and I looked helplessly at Kyouya for an explanation, one he provided: "Von Willebrand disease is a bleeding disorder, the most common one. We discovered this in Kanazuki-san's medical records before surgery so there is a possibility she may bleed to death, although we are taking preventative measures. Don't worry. The chance she may die is very small."

"That's very comforting Kyouya," Kaoru muttered dryly as everyone sweatdropped. Outside, thunder growled and not long after there was a flash of lightning.

"I'll be back. I'm going to use the restroom," Haruhi announced with a funny smile and hurried off. Tamaki went with her, and Kyouya was dragged off by a confused-looking nurse in a white uniform. That left me alone with the devilish twins and an anxious Mori. Fortunately, the Hitachiins were too concerned to pull anything and chose to try to lighten Mori's mood. Me? I leaned my shoulder against the wall and idly watched the storm to distract myself.

The worst part for all of us was the knowledge that in this matter we were helpless. And we _knew_ it.

Outside, the congested traffic cleared very little, and the rain continued pounding outside, the wind picking up occasionally. Kaoru, who had given up on cheering up Mori, announced with sarcastic enthusiasm that on his phone, there was a typhoon warning for our area.

_"May the curses of the Nekozawa ancestry descend upon you!"_

"It certainly appears to be," I muttered to myself, eyeing the charcoal-gray, almost black clouds with apprehension. Hopefully the power wouldn't go out. If it did while Kanazuki was in surgery…I physically shuddered at the thought, and tried to lead my mind away from that path.

"So you're the soul-snatcher," an unfamiliar male voice mused, and I flinched in surprise, noticing a stranger leaning on the other side of the window I'd been staring out of. He was lanky, thin, and had fiery-orange hair that covered his entire forehead and almost covered his stunning emerald-colored eyes.

When had he gotten there? How had I not noticed such an eye-catching figure?

Not that I thought he was cute or anything.

Coolly, I replied, "Soul snatching is a hobby of mine."

The handsome man's lips quirked in a sardonic, wry smile as if he was silently laughing at a private joke. "So I've heard. That's why you are cursed, are you not?" I chose not to reply, and the orange-haired man continued, "Confused? I was a member of the Black Magic Club at Ouran, and I must say that yours is an impressive curse."

It was frightening how easily he could read me. He had known his cryptic statement confused me, and somehow he knew about the curse Nekozawa had placed on me at least nine or more years ago.

"You can see it?"

He nodded, stepping closer to me and placed his index finger under my chin, forcing me to tilt my head back. This forced me to stare into his beautiful emerald-colored eyes as he leaned forward and whispered, "You are marked by a cat—the President's symbol."

"Oi, what're you doing to Alexis, you creep?" the Hitachiins growled, coming to my rescue. To my surprise, Mori lifted me into his arms and carried me over to the bench, placing me by the wall near the double doors. Leaning forward, I watched Hikaru, Kaoru, and the Black Magic member engage in a fierce glaring contest. The twins broke eye contact first; their opponent's unwavering emerald eyes were too intense.

After that, the action died down and time crawled sluggishly. Hikaru gazed absently at a wall, Mori stared down at the floor, Kaoru played games on his phone, and I stared at the orange-haired stranger. He leaned back against the wall opposite of ours, his arms crossed, staring at the ceiling with a concentrated frown.

"Alexis, how long do you plan on ogling?" Kaoru asked, shooting me a dirty look.

I scowled. "I can't help it. He's handsome."

"So am I," Kaoru shot back.

"Yeah, well…he—I mean, _look_ at him. He has entrancing eyes, his hair is fiery like a phoenix's feathers, and his solid black outfit only enhances the striking contrast," I retorted, feeling my cheeks go pink. "And he's got this…attractive magnetism."

"Did you know Tono almost recruited him to the Host Club?" Kaoru asked.

My eyebrows shot up. "No."

The Hitachiin nodded sagely and glanced over, sticking out his tongue. "That was before he went over to the dark side. Then Tono was too afraid to ask him 'cause he was scared of Nekozawa. His name is Shintaro something…his family is involved in the printing business and media."

Shintaro, noticing Kaoru sticking out his tongue and making faces, stuck up his pinkie and drew symbols in the air before he ignored the Hitachiin. But before he ignored Kaoru, the green-eyed devil shot me the coldest look I'd seen in years.

"What the hell is his problem?" I muttered irritably. First, he acted charming, and then he gave me the evil eye.

Kaoru put his phone in his pocket and pulled out the latest and greatest version of the PSP. "He's a creep, Alexis—dangerous and weird."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Hunny shakily staggered out of the operation room, pale and smiling wearily. "They're both alright. Reiko and the baby are alright." The poor short, cute husband, now father looked like he was about to faint on his feet.

Mori smiled. Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru whooped and yelped with joy, making a scene. Haruhi and I cheered, although we did so more quietly with consideration for other patients in the hospital. Kyouya smiled. Shintaro punched the air victoriously with his own 'yeah!' of triumph. His two fellow Black Magic companions, who had arrived when Tamaki and Haruhi had returned, praised the dark spirits and the underworld. Kirimi jumped up and down, her hands in the hair.

Oddly enough, Nekozawa hadn't come; however, I wasn't complaining. The last time we had met had been disastrous…and I wasn't sure if Nekozawa was capable of holding a grudge. Then again, I hadn't thought he was capable of becoming angry, much less emotionally explosive.

A passing nurse scowled at us disapprovingly. "This is a hospital, not an amusement park. Remember there are other patients."

"We have to tone it down or you guys will get kicked out," Kyouya agreed and then added, "Hunny, I've set aside a room near your wife's if you want to rest."

He nodded, blinking sleepily, and Mori smoothly picked him up and asked Kyouya where the room was. As those three left, the Hitachiins seized the opportunity to double-team the poor nurse.

"When can we see Kanazuki?" they demanded simultaneously, approaching the nurse from the left and right sides.

"We want to congratulate her," Hikaru or Kaoru explained, flashing the woman a dazzling smile.

The other twin reasoned, "She needs our emotional support after such an exhausting, traumatic ordeal."

To give the abbreviated summary of the chaos that followed, Tamaki joined in the pleading and the three Black Magic members did too. The nurse, who felt overwhelmed and harassed, had the security kindly escort us all (with the exception of Mori) from the hospital. Kyouya only shook his head at us as we headed into the downpour.

"This sucks," Hikaru proclaimed as the nine of us hung out under the hospital's overhang near the entrance. Although we were protected from the rain, cold winds still reached us and deep thunder growled ominously from above.

Kaoru threw in his two cents. "That nurse has no sense of humor—small wonder she works at a hospital." I watched lightning fork down in the distance.

"It doesn't matter," Tamaki said cheerfully. "We can use this opportunity to shop for gifts for them."

"Milord, I'm pretty sure Hunny and Kanazuki already took care of all that."

"Oh…" The blonde deflated, but before another brilliant epiphany could strike, Haruhi tugged on his shirt.

"Could we please go home?" she asked, gripping the hem of his lilac shirt. Her brown eyes quietly pleaded, reminding me of a doe. Haruhi looked so painfully adorable!

Tamaki was a goner. "Yes, darling." Holding her hand, the Host Club King bid us farewell, promising that he would call us later. The blonde added it was so we could arrange a time to speak with Kanazuki and see the baby during hospital visiting hours.

The twins and I waved farewell as their black limo drove off in the rain. Quickly the atmosphere grew awkward with the Black Magic members staring at us from the opposite wall. I could tell Hikaru and Kaoru were itching to terrorize them. On the other hand, Shintaro seemed eager for an excuse to curse them.

Kirimi smiled and winked at me, crossing the gap. "Want to get some hot chocolate, Lexi-chan? My treat."

"I don't see why not," I grinned. Turning, I hugged Hikaru and Kaoru, who seemed disappointed that I had agreed. Apparently, they had been concocting a plan for the three of us. "Don't have too much fun without me," I told them. "Cheer up. We'll see each other pretty soon if I know Tamaki."

"Fine."

"Yeah, whatever."

Ignoring their sullen behavior, I gave Kirimi a thumbs up and she called her limo driver.

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The blonde-haired girl and I chose a table for two beside the windows, and sat there, the both of us sipping on hot chocolate, lost in our own thoughts. Idly, I glanced over at the adorable middle schooler and reflected on her changes—losing some of her baby-ish charms and habits, mentally maturing, and was still obsessed with shojo manga and princely figures, especially blond ones.

When her large blue eyes noticed my intense gaze, she returned my stare and for a few moments we sat in silence, our lips on our straws, staring at each other.

Then, Kirimi took her lips off her straw and quietly asked, "Are you and Umehito ever going to make up?" It surprised me that she referred to him by first name, not as 'my older brother'.

I broke eye contact and stared at the table surface before glancing up at Kirimi's earnest expression. "I don't know, Kirimi," I sighed. "I…It's just…He misunderstood and said some things…" I didn't want to tarnish her image of her elder brother with my memories.

"What happened…at that Christmas party?" she asked quietly. Her young, large blue eyes watched me all too closely, and I felt their weight.

Even after nine years, I had difficulty speaking past the lump in my throat. "He cursed me…"

"For what?" When I didn't respond, Kirimi continued, "I've never seen my brother curse anyone, not even light, with the passion that he cursed you with. You must've meant a lot to him. You still do…even though my brother won't admit it."

I rolled my eyes. "After all this time? Inconceivable." Picking up my hot drink, I began sucking it down.

The middle schooler frowned, and slowly spun her Styrofoam cup in her hands. "Come over to the Nekozawa mansion. Please, Lexi-chan? Let's watch _Beauty and the Beast_ just for old time's sake, and maybe an episode or two of _Icha Icha Paradise_."

I choked on my hot chocolate and then began coughing, pounding on my chest. "How old do you have to be to watch that again?"

Kirimi giggled. "Just kidding. Anyway, my brother is in America right now and isn't scheduled to come back for a couple days." Obviously, she sensed that my hesitation was caused by the fear of meeting Nekozawa. Clever, insightful girl.

"Fine, I'll come…just as long as we don't watch _Icha Icha Paradise_," I conceded.

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"—has been building up a tolerance to light. Without his cloak, wig, or sunscreen, he can sit in a normally lit room for almost ten minutes before he collapses," Kirimi prattled excitedly. As soon as we had gotten into the limo, she told me what she and Nekozawa had been doing for the past year.

I was impressed. "_Wow_. His stamina has really improved. Nine years ago he couldn't even bear being in the presence of a flashlight!"

She nodded enthusiastically. "He still carries that cat doll, Bereznoff, around in his pocket, but he only brings him out at home or in private. Umehito also majored in literature, Japanese and English and French, and he writes stories. I got him to write a shojo manga plot for me! I had an artist draw it and I'll show it to you while Kuretake preps the movie and popcorn!"

"Good grief," I grinned ruefully, shaking my head.

"Umehito's actually not a bad romance writer," Kirimi said in defense of her older brother. "Some of his more popular books are his romance novels and mystery novels. I'll show you those too."

"I write books too," I threw in. "Just for a hobby though…Nekozawa must be talented. I could never write about romance, mostly because I've never been head over heels for a guy. No one has affected me that strongly." Not since Ouran anyway, but even then it hadn't been head over heels.

Kirimi seemed surprised. "Really? I thought you had."

"Nope." I shook my head. "I got crushes like every other giggling school girl, but never anything really serious. Wait, I take that back…I had an emotional attachment to a professor of mine for longer than six months, which is weird because your average crush lasts six months. Then your brain chemicals are supposed to return to normal."

"How old was this professor?" the girl inquired curiously.

I blushed and fidgeted a little, smiling to myself. "Well, when I was eighteen, he was twenty-seven…He indirectly helped me discover some qualities that I find attractive in a man."

Surprisingly, Kirimi wasn't leaning toward me with intense interest. Instead, she seemed more reserved than the reaction I'd expected from her. "Like what?"

"He had a healthy sense of humor, especially dry humor, was very witty and of above average intelligence…he was pretty patient and empathetic toward us students," I recalled aloud, feeling my cheeks burning with a steady glow. "When he spoke to you or vice versa, he always looked you in the eye. Charming at times, had a disarming friendly smile…" I trailed off, embarrassed. "I guess I still like him more than I care to admit."

The middle schooler raised her blonde eyebrows, smiling oddly. "Sounds like it. Anyway, we're here! Let's get inside and I'll show you Umehito's books and the shojo manga he made."

My heart did an odd, fearful squeeze-clench when Kirimi slid out of the limo and headed toward the white double doors. The exterior of the Nekozawa mansion had changed very little, and I felt like I was in high school all over again as I timidly entered after Kirimi. Despite her assurance he was in another country, I felt as if Nekozawa would creep up on me and shove a wooden Bereznoff doll in my face, one with _my_ name on it.

Kirimi touched my arm and I started badly. "Lexi-chan, calm down. Kuretake's prepping so follow me." Grabbing my hand, she tugged me down a dim hallway; apparently, she had adjusted to the darkness somewhat, just as Nekozawa had prayed.

Fearlessly, she opened his room and I couldn't say I was surprised that his room was literally under-the-mountain pitch black. Kirimi, unperturbed, touched a light switch and one weak ceiling light flickered on eerily.

The theme of Nekozawa's room was black and white—white carpet, black walls, white ceiling, white dressers, black bedspread, etc. Occult and magical items were displayed on the walls and on his four bookshelves, which were loaded with books. Kirimi used her phone as a flashlight as she stepped into his room and began lighting candles.

"The shelf second from the top has all his books," she hinted, pointing, and I reluctantly headed toward it, still feeling like a boogieman would jump out at me from the shadows. Picking a book, I glanced at the summary in the back.

_Stella's golden hair shimmered in the candlelight, her fair ivory skin glowed, and her smile was more mysterious than a moonlit flower…yet she was as evil as a cursed wax doll. To make matters worse, Wes Adams realized that he loved her._

"He's good with imagery," I mused, placing the book back on the shelf. The others I chose tempted me to read a few pages, but Kirimi interfered when she showed me the shojo manga. To my surprise and horror, the main heroine looked a lot like me and the prince shared a suspicious amount of Nekozawa's features…I flipped through the pages, my cheeks going pink when my eyes caught on the passionate kissing, the limited nudity, and general making out. What made my cheeks go red was when I saw a line that mentioned marriage.

"Why do these people look like us?"

Kirimi looked up at me sheepishly. "I asked the artist to draw you and Umehito."

"I don't plan on doing any of _this_" –I pointed to a colored image of the main characters French kissing—"to your brother any time soon," I protested heatedly.

"You're wrinkling the pages," the middle schooler cried, snatching the shojo manga from me. "I just wanted to commemorate that time you and Umehito were acting out the scene from a shojo manga for me."

I quickly exited Nekozawa's room, trying to forget _that_ particular memory. "Sure…Let's go watch _Beauty and the Beast_."

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"I'm impressed with the magnitude and malevolence of your curse," Reiko Kanazuki commented when Kirimi and I entered her hospital room together. _Beauty and the Beast _had been interrupted by Tamaki's energetic call; apparently, Kyouya had used his Ohtori power to allow us to visit after hours.

"You and everyone else in the Black Magic Club can see curses," I frowned, shutting the door behind us. I didn't want the other Host Club members eavesdropping, not on this conversation.

She shook her head, her long black hair moving very little. "No, only Shintaro, the President, and I. Why do you bear the President's curse?"

It irked me that she and Kirimi were gazing at me expectantly, and talking about the nine-year-old curse got on my nerves. "Hell if I know," I replied casually. "Maybe you should ask him."

"I've tried countless times throughout the years without success," Kanazuki confessed with equal coolness in her voice. Sitting up in her hospital bed, the Princess of Curses reached over in a small raised crib and held up her sleepy newborn. "His name is Yami Haninozuka." He was a small, chubby baby with little tufts of black hair sticking up on his head. His small vivid blue eyes were cracked open, staring at us, and his skin was still reddish.

Ambling over to the bedside, Kirimi gently ran her hand through his crazy hair. "Aw," she whispered. "He's so cute! And his hair is so soft!" I couldn't hold onto my irritation long as I stared at the baby leaning against Kanazuki's chest. I softly poked his chubby little forearm with my index finger. His skin was incredibly soft.

"Dark—what a name," I grinned wryly, amusing myself by caressing the newborn's smooth, soft arm. That is, until said baby began to tear up and cry. Oddly enough, little Yami Haninozuka stopped crying when I withdrew my hand.

"He must sense your curse, Alexis-chan. I'll have to ask you to leave shortly," Kanazuki requested politely, setting the dark-haired baby back into his crib. "Children are especially sensitive to their environment and your curse would upset Yami."

My upper lip curled slightly but I acquiesced with a curt nod. "Alright."

"Wait!" Kirimi blurted and grabbed Kanazuki's hand. "Lexi could stay if you removed her curse."

Kanazuki's dark eyes narrowed slightly, and she gently removed her hand from Kirimi's pleading grasp. "I will not go against the President. Please leave. I will not ask you again, nor will I request your leave as politely."

Cautiously stepping closer to the hospital bed, I tapped the middle schooler's shoulder. "Come on, Kirimi. Let's go. Hunny and Tamaki are probably hovering impatiently outside the door." For some reason, my stomach clenched when I looked at the unwavering resolve in the Curse Princess's cool, dark eyes. She was serious.

Kirimi jerked her shoulder away from my touch. "Please, Kanazuki-chan. You know the President's sentiments toward Lexi-chan! I'm surprised he hasn't asked you yet or why he hasn't done so himself."

Now their conversation excluded me as if I wasn't here. I would've been irritated if it hadn't been for Kanazuki's steadily growing irritation.

"Kirimi-chan, please stop. Even if the President had asked me recently, I don't have the energy," Hunny's wife said quietly. The air around her grew colder and Yami began wailing.

"Let's finish the movie, Kirimi. _Please_," I pleaded. '_Let's get out of here before you get cursed too.'_

There was a knock on the door, and Hunny's voice was muffled through the wood. "Kanazuki? Are Lexi-chan and Kirimi-chan still in there?" My heart leapt as the metal handle went down and Hunny opened the door, his head peering through the door; he seemed to sense the tension, his chocolate brown eyes flitting from his wife, to me, to Kirimi. "What's going on?"

"We were just finishing up," I replied nonchalantly and squeezed around the little blonde. My eyes inadvertently wandered, and I saw Tamaki, Haruhi, and Kyouya's curious expressions, felt Mori's questioning gaze, and I flashed them a quick skittish smile.

"Bye guys. Kirimi and I are going to finish watching _Beauty and the Beast_," I told them with a wave. Thunder boomed above us and Haruhi and I jumped, and glancing outside the window, I couldn't tell whether the sun had set or not. It was so dark outside, but the constant, high wail of the wind and patter of rain on the window meant that it was still storming hard outside.

_'An omen?'_ I wondered as I power-walked toward the Ohtori hospital entrance. Kirimi would find me in the limo when she came out of Kanazuki's room.

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The next day, I devoted myself to my psychology patients instead of risking another day with Kirimi or being ambused by a curious Host Club member. After yesterday, I was feeling a tad antisocial toward humanity and I wanted nothing more than to bury myself in work. Keep myself too busy to think. Too busy to remember nine years ago...

_He clenched his fists at his side. "Stay away from the manor. You're not welcome. Kuretake and Kadomatsu will have your belongings packed and waiting outside in the morning." At first, the President couldn't bear to look at me, but when he worked up the nerve, his normally gentle eyes glared at me through the bangs of his greasy wig. Nekozawa actually shook with emotion._

_I actually took a step back. "What did I do?" I asked incredulously. Another verbal blow. First Kyouya, now Nekozawa. Had I turned into a piñata? "Is it your parents? Do they not like me?" Why was he so upset with me? This animosity had reared its head out of nowhere._

_"May the curses of the Nekozawa ancestry descend upon you" was his icy reply and Nekozawa began to storm out of the room. He only got so far before he began swaggering, and I immediately realized it was from too much light exposure. Nekozawa could only stand the chandelier lights for so long before it activated his condition._

_I felt like a ghostly observer, trapped in another time zone, as I watched the President of the Black Magic Club collapse on the tile floor. Kirimi, Kuretake, Kadomatsu, and the Chairman were the nearest who rushed toward him. Nekozawa, in a fit, pushed them all away and got to his feet, staggering into a run as he left the room. His little sister and his staff followed, calling his name._

I shook my head from side to side, hoping to dislodge the bad memories that refused to be bucked off. I couldn't be focused on my own problems, not now, not with other people who had their own pressing problems that needed solving. To help them, I had to reach out but how could I do that with when I was absently staring off into space?

The door opened, and my eyebrows shot up when I saw who was on the other side of the door. "Nekozawa?"

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**Disclaimer/Information:**

*In the manga, writing the name of someone you hate on the back of a wooden Bereznoff doll curses them or brings them great misfortune.

*the "golden hair shimmers…as a cursed wax doll" is from Chapter 21 of the Ouran High School Host Club manga on onemanga, and is not mine.

* * *

AN: Just kidding! This isn't the last chapter, but it was supposed to be. I didn't want to overwhelm all the readers and myself by making this chapter incredibly long, so you could say that this is the beginning of the end.


	20. The Ball is in Who's Court?

_AN: Sorry this chapter was delayed for so long. Originally, I intended on posting it earlier. My dad and I were building a new computer, and we had the hard drive with everything backed up on it already in the new computer. My dad added another drive and told the new computer to format, or erase the second hard drive. The computer formatted both. My dad and I had to send the hard drive with everything on it to the Data Doctors to fix it (for a hefty price, of course), and fortunately, all the data was recovered. How this relates to the delay is that the first half of this chapter was on that formatted hard drive. Ah, the "beauty" of technical difficulties._

* * *

"Nekozawa?" my mouth blurted out automatically when my gray eyes rested on the black-robed figure that pushed open my office door. However, the figure in black was too short to be Nekozawa and 'he' was holding a rabbit, not a cat with large evil-looking eyes and tiny hands. I scowled. "Kirimi, don't scare me like that!"

Pushing the cowl off her head, Kirimi smiled mischievously. "Gotcha!"

"Only for a second," I argued and then sighed, relaxing in my chair. Kids these days… "If you want to hang out with me, today isn't the day, Kirimi. I'm booked."

The middle schooler wasn't put off. "Yes you are," she grinned, squeezing her rabbit to her chest. "You're booked by _me_. Go check with your secretary if you don't believe me."

Frowning and disconcerted that I was being manipulated by a mere rich brat, I left the room and asked Tobimaru, "Who are my next patients?"

"Kirimi Nekozawa is your only patient for the rest of the day," he said apologetically, noting my annoyed and exasperated expression. He shrugged. "She's paying the same amount as our clients, offered to donate some extra money to us…and she said please," he grinned.

I rolled my eyes. "Let me guess. With a cherry on top?"

He nodded as his grin widened. "And whip cream and hot fudge."

"Don't become a softie on me, Tobimaru," I warned him, smiling ruefully, and then made a shooing motion with my hand. "Go on. Go home. This stuffy office isn't a healthy environment for me to psychoanalyze a little girl so maybe I'll…take her to the park or movies."

"Will do, Boss," he chuckled.

I turned around to find Kirimi smirking at me, and stuck my tongue out at her. "You know, you're cute on most occasions, maybe a little annoying—"

"Hey!"

"—but then there are those times where you're a terror like every other kid your age," I finished, grinning as she squinted fiercely. Her attempts to improve on her glares had failed, and only served to tempt my laughter. Then Kirimi would only squint even more.

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We didn't end up visiting the park or a movie theatre. Oh no, that would've been too easy. Instead, Kirimi and I returned to the Nekozawa mansion, despite my complaining the entire ride there. Kirimi seemed convinced that Nekozawa didn't hate me anymore and actually liked, maybe even loved me, but I was inclined to believe otherwise.

"Kirimi, at the Christmas party, he _ran_ from the room like the angels of light were trying to embrace him and burn away his flesh," I whined. "You were there so you should remember."

As she led me down the familiar dimly lit halls, the middle schooler looked like she wanted to tear off her ears or rip my lips off my face. Probably the latter. "Alexis, Umehito became a romance novelist because that's the only way he knows how to express his feelings for you," she shot back, her voice sharp. "He bases the hero after himself and the heroine after _you_."

"Nekozawa told you this himself?" I asked, very dubious and sarcastic.

"_Yes_," she scowled, and my jaw dropped.

"What? When? How did you get him to-How?"

"He talks in his sleep," Kirimi mentioned casually with a nonchalant shrug, and we entered the same room we had watched _Beauty and the Beast_ in yesterday. I was tempted to nickname it the movie room. Nine years ago, in this same room, I had snapped at Kirimi and Nekozawa when they had complained about the lighting.

"That's not…weird," I said slowly. I could imagine Kirimi sneaking into her older brother's room and standing by the bedside, hugging her rabbit, watching Nekozawa sleep. The creepiness of that thought made me shudder.

Kirimi was offended, apparently reading my mind. "I don't stalk him! When we visit our parents, on the way back to the mansion, he falls asleep in the limo and starts mumbling things. Lexi-chan, he told me that he really likes you."

"Mhmm. Sure." I avoided meeting her gaze, and changed the subject. My patience was wearing thin and Kirimi's was probably doing little better. "What movie are we watching today?"

"_Ever After_!" the blonde girl squealed, her anger vanishing behind a smile. "Have you seen it? It's the movie with Drew Barrymore, the one where it's the Cinderella story in France and the Prince is being forced to marry-"

I clapped my hands over my ears. "No! Don't spoil it for me! I haven't seen it!"

"You haven't?"

"I believe I _just_ said that…"

Kirimi stuck out her tongue at me childishly before crying out dramatically, "Blasphemy! _Ever After_ is one of my favorite movies therefore you are hereby forced to watch it!" She pointed her index finger at me with the authority of a queen.

"Forced?" I repeated with mock incredulity, and then asked, "By whose orders?"

"Mine! By the power invested in me as a Nekozawa and as a rich brat," she declared, now pointing at the ceiling. "With God as my witness, you will watch _Ever After_ and you will like it!"

Flopping into a lounging position on the couch, I snatched the closest pillow and rested my head on it. "It looks like I don't have much of a choice," I mused aloud, smiling. "Even though I haven't seen the movie, I like it so I guess we don't have to watch it."

Kirimi rolled her large light blue eyes. "It doesn't work that way, Lexi."

"Says you," I grinned as she left the room, shaking her head. Nuzzling the pillow affectionately with my cheek, shutting my eyes, I sighed and enjoyed the dim lighting in the movie room. Perhaps I could squeeze in a five-minute nap before Kirimi returned…

Just as I was getting comfortable and feeling a warm, drowsy contentment, I heard the room's door open and chose to eavesdrop and feign sleep. If it was Kirimi, she would loudly demand that I wake up or chuck a pillow at my face.

"—to apologize, Shintaro," an all too familiar voice pleaded, and I suddenly found it difficult to maintain deep, steady breathing like a sleeper. This time it really was Nekozawa.

'_Roman and Greek gods…why him? Why now?'_

Apparently Shintaro, the red-haired devil, wasn't pleased. "Be strong, President," he urged, his voice rough and tone forceful. "She may have snatched your soul but we, the Black Magic Club, can get it back!"

"_How?_" To my surprise, Nekozawa was actually being sardonic. Bitterly, he continued, "You don't think I've searched for a cure, Shintaro? I've prayed to the dark spirits every night for forgetfulness but they have failed to answer me. She is like a word stubbornly hanging on the tip of my tongue, the word you know that you know but can't remember at the moment and it drives you mad with frustration until you remember what the word is."

"What do you plan on doing, President?" Shintaro asked quietly, and I heard their voices approaching. My heart hammered in my chest. _'Oh God…oh God, please don't let them see me! Don't let HIM see me!'_

"I don't know…"

There was a hiss of surprise and a quick, hard gasp, and I felt my throat go dry. My left hand, hidden beneath the pillow my head laid on, trembled and my fingers anxiously curled and uncurled. I forced the rest of me to remain deathly still with the exception of my somewhat shaky deep, slow breaths.

"What is _she_ doing here?" Shintaro grumbled, almost growling the pronoun like a curse.

The couch beside my stomach sunk down as someone sat, and I hoped that I wouldn't flinch if I was touched. One flinch would blow my cover. The person who I guessed was Nekozawa lightly touched my arm with his fingertips. Shintaro didn't exactly sound happy to see me, and Kirimi _had_ been claiming that Nekozawa liked me but that couldn't be true…could it?

"President, _no_," the emerald-eyed Black Magic Member protested quietly but vehemently. "Be strong!"

"She's _asleep_, Shintaro."

Oh hell, Nekozawa sounded…a little hopeful and very relieved. Where was Kirimi?

I think my breathing quickened—out of fear, not excitement, mind you—when his hand caressed from my shoulder down to my elbow before he lifted his hand; then his pinkie finger traced over my closed lips. First, my bottom lip, and then my top lip in a slow circle…I wanted to leap out the nearest window, screaming.

"Her lips are smaller than I remember, Shintaro," he mused quietly aloud, and his companion didn't deign to respond. "Then again I had few opportunities to examine them so closely…small and pouty like fairy's, but when she smiles, it's impish and secretive as if she knows a delicious secret."

If Nekozawa hadn't noticed my irregular and poor attempts to maintain a steady, deep breathing pattern, then he would most definitely notice the blood rushing to my face.

_'Kirimi, where the hell are you? Save me, please!'_

"Hmm…Alexis needs to take better care of her lips," Nekozawa sighed, sounding disapproving, continuing his avid scrutiny of my lips. "They're chapped, especially the bottom one."

_'Well, excuuuse me,'_ I mentally shot back, now blushing from embarrassment.

"Sorry I took so long Lexi-ch—Shintaro-san? Brother, what were you doing to Lexi-chan?" Although Kirimi seemed to be suspicious and scolding, I sensed an underlying excitement. I could imagine she was hoping her brother had French kissed me like the prince in the shojo manga he had created. Her romance senses were probably tingling like mad.

There was a distinct possibility that my would-be hero might leave me in the gentle clutches of her older brother.

Fortunately for my pounding heart, Nekozawa had snatched his hand away and stood at the sound of his sister's voice. "Checking her temperature," he lied smoothly. "Her breathing was quick and shallow, and her forehead was burning up. I wouldn't be surprised if she was ill."

I had a horrible feeling Umehito Nekozawa knew (or suspected) I was awake. Knew I had been awake the entire time.

The President of the Black Magic Club and his faithful follower quickly exited the room. I laid there on the couch, keeping up my sleeping act and trying not to blush so obviously. A small hand shook my shoulder impatiently.

"Wake up, Lexi," Kirimi said, and I cracked open one eye. The middle schooler stared back down at me speculatively and eagerly. "What happened?" she whispered, beaming.

I shut my eye. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was asleep."

"Liar!"

"Fine, you caught me…I don't want to talk about it. No, make that I _refuse_ to talk about it."

"C'mon, Lexi-chaaaan," Kirimi whined, tugging on my shoulder with both of her small hands. She pushed and pulled me back and forth, annoyed at my lack of cooperation. "He's my brother so you can't say it's none of my business."

"I didn't plan on saying—Weren't we going to watch a movie?"

"Don't change the subject!"

I performed the lip-zip gesture and tossed the imaginary key into the air over my shoulder. While Kirimi dove behind the couch, searching for the key that didn't exist, I glanced at the doorway and then wrenched my gaze away, more terrified than I had felt in my entire life.

Kirimi hadn't been exaggerating about her brother's feelings toward me.

She had been right the entire time, and I had refused to see it, but now that I just had an eye-opening encounter with those feelings, I couldn't shake the paralyzing fear that clung to my soul.

I had no idea what to do.

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_A few months later…_

"Move your hips more to the left, Alexis," Hikaru called out flatly from behind the photographer, "and try not to look so constipated."

My staged smile widened into a genuine grin and, taking advantage of the moment, the photographer snapped his picture. A few seconds later, I blinked away the black and white stars that cluttered my vision and I pushed myself away from the wall I had been leaning against in a 'sexy' fashion, at least according to the Hitachiins it was sexy.

"Next!" Hikaru yelled as Kaoru motioned for me to rush to the dressing room for the next outfit. I complied as quickly as I could in the high heels, and handed Kaoru the white jacket for the Naughty Nurse costume.

"What's with the witch's outfit?" I queried as I handed him the high heels on my feet in exchange for a long, flowing black velvet mass. Stepping into the changing room, I began undoing the large white buttons on the front of the costume.

"Hikaru and I figured that Halloween was coming up soon—" he began.

"In a month."

Kaoru ignored the interruption. "—and why not start a little early? There were a lot of requests in the fanmail for you to be in the October spread, displaying outfits. Some of the clothing designs people sent for you were pretty kinky." He snickered.

I eyed the changing room door warily, pausing, before I pulled the ebony mass over my head. It turned out to be a soft, v-neck black dress with long sleeves that flared out. From my chest to my hips, the velvet clung to my skin before the rest of the fabric (thankfully) concealed my legs.

Opening the door, I tossed the nurse's outfit to a tight-lipped assistant, who caught the costume with her face. Kaoru chuckled and pulled me toward the cosmetics.

"Behave, Lexi," the orange-haired devil grinned as he sat me down in a swiveling chair before a well-lit mirror. It reminded me of a hair salon.

I grinned back. "It's her fault for not paying attention to her surroundings."

"You could've handed it to her."

"Now what fun would that be?" I asked.

"No fun at all." Finishing the eye shadow with a few smooth, quick strokes, Kaoru helped me up from the chair and pulled me past the shoes. "You won't need any shoes for this shot," he told me. "No need to fret, Lexi. Your partner has no footwear either."

"Partner?" I repeated, and then my eyes landed on the black-clad figure standing on the set. As always, he looked handsome in the color. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, making it even more difficult not to stare. He, on the other hand, glared at me from across the room with those vibrant emerald eyes.

Shintaro.

"Good luck," Kaoru snickered, scurrying toward his brother, Hikaru, who also seemed sadistically amused. Damn Hitachiin devils.

Sticking my tongue out at the both of them, I lifted the hem of my long dress and ambled over to my sour-faced picture partner. I stopped three feet away from him. "Shintaro," I greeted coolly.

"Soul-snatcher," he returned as casually with a slight nod.

"Oi, enough fraternizing and more posing!" one of the Hitachiins shouted impatiently, his hands cupped around his mouth.

"Lean back-to-back with your arms crossed," suggested the other Hitachiin. "Glare at the camera too. Oh yeah, Freak-boy looks angry. Lexi, stop curling your lip in disgust!"

"Don't purse your lips like that either, Lexi."

"Or clench your jaw. You'll give yourself headaches later."

"Open your eyes a little more when you glare or it looks like a squint."

"Now _that's_ more like it, Lexi! What an Evil Eye!"

The blinding white flash interrupted my unblinking glower as the photographer snapped a picture, but despite this, I blinked once or twice before resuming focusing my negative thoughts toward the Hitachiins. Maybe if I got lucky their camera lenses would crack. After all, I _was_ dressed in a witch costume.

The twins forced us into a few more awkward poses, and the two of us stiffly cooperated—we waltzed in silence as the strategically-placed cameras captured the moments, Shintaro held me bridal style (although he grimaced until the grouchy photographer ordered him to smile), and finally, the Hitachiins somehow convinced/blackmailed Shintaro and I into hugging each other.

"You're done," the twins beamed, giving us the thumbs up. Immediately, Shintaro and I took several steps away from each other. To review the images on a computer, the photographer caught Hikaru and Kaoru's attention, and I warily glanced over at Shintaro from the corner of my eye.

During the entire shoot, I sensed a repelling animosity coming from my surly, orange-haired picture partner. Hikaru and Kaoru had to remind me not to stiffen up multiple times, although it was easier said than done. Fortunately, the shoot was over with so I could go home and play Pac-Man on my computer while I tried to think of a good plot for a short story.

"He knew you weren't asleep."

I was astonished Shintaro was willing to speak to me. "I know that he knew," I replied, shrugging.

The orange-haired Black Magic Club member mimicked my shrug, smirking. "The President knows that you know that he knew."

"What do you want?" I asked flatly. I quickly headed toward the women's dressing room in order to change into my own clothes and escape from the three orange-haired devils haunting this building. I'd already fulfilled my quote of trouble for today.

"It's not what _I _want, but what the President wants," he corrected me, matching my pace with his stupid long legs. When I didn't ask what his leader desired, Shintaro continued, "The President requests an informal meeting in a public restaurant to discuss the curse and the matter of his soul."

"You mean a date."

"No, a rendezvous."

I rolled my eyes. "Same difference."

Before I could dart into the women's dressing room, he blocked my path with his arm and moved to stand between me and my intended escape route. "What is your response, Soul-snatcher?"

I pretended to consider for a few moments before I shrugged, replying with a rhyme. "Yes? No? Maybe so?" Ducking under his arm while he chewed on that one, I fled into the safety of the women's dressing room.

I heard him say irritably, "That's no answer!"

"Exactly!" I grinned, locking myself into a changing room. Unfortunately, later, I discovered a yellow Post-It note in my pant pocket, a note that hadn't been there before.

_The Montego Court at 7:00 PM._

Curse that sly magician, Shintaro!

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

They say curiosity killed the cat.

I hope that that phrase isn't applicable to people with curses that happen to look like a cat. If it does, then I would never have driven to The Montego Court and I wouldn't be in the waiting room, smoothing down my dress and chewing nervously on my bottom lip. I wouldn't have remembered Nekozawa saying that I needed to take better care of my lips either.

The maitre d' approached me as I contemplated slinking back to my car. "Are you Alexis Jergens?"

"I am."

"Please follow me, Jergens-san." Grabbing a menu with a white-gloved hand, the maitre d' led me into a spacious, low-lit room.

Only two or three people occupied the cloth-covered tables, and, from my quick glance-over, they were definitely wealthy judging by the jewelry and elegant clothing—suits and dresses. No dress pants, no jeans, no t-shirts, not even casual formal clothes. On the tables themselves, as centerpieces were a bottle of wine, a vase with a rose or two in it, two tall and thin candles, and a small menu leaning against the wine.

I decided the atmosphere was obviously meant to be romantic, and felt entirely out of my element.

The feeling was only amplified when the maitre d' led me to a table where a pale, blonde-haired young man in a black tuxedo was folding his napkin into an origami figure—a crane. He didn't look up when the maitre d' pulled out my chair or when I sat down or when the waiter pushed in my seat.

I, on the other hand, stared at the quiet blonde-haired man across the table. His head was bowed down low, his chin almost touching his white vest, and his long blonde bangs covered his face from his nose up. _'Nekozawa? It can't be hi—he's not wearing…Is it the right day? The Post-It note never said what day. I automatically assumed it meant today but maybe—'_

"What would you care to drink, Jergens-san?"

"Just water with lemon please," I ordered politely, breaking my stare to gaze up at the maitre d'.

He nodded curtly. "I'll give you a few moments to peruse the menu." Then the waiter navigated through the maze of tables away from us, leaving me to watch the blonde stranger across the table fiddle with his napkin. Very quickly the silence became suffocating-ly awkward.

"Nekozawa?" I asked quietly.

The stranger's head shot up immediately and anxious baby blue eyes appeared when his bangs parted. "Yes?" he answered breathlessly. The half-created crane fell off the edge of the table and disappeared.

"You're not wearing your black robe or wig," I pointed out quietly, twisting my hands in my lap.

Nekozawa seemed caught off guard momentarily before, smiling softly, he said, "You don't need to be worried about me, Alexis. I can withstand ten—"

"Ten minutes in the light before you collapse, I know," I interrupted, finishing the sentence for him in a hurried jumble. "Kirimi told me. I was just wondering if we would have to ask for our food to go or if we would be eating here." Now I was babbling…

And he was staring at me oddly. "No, no," Umehito Nekozawa said almost absently. "This lighting is…I-It's dim enough." Embarrassed, he promptly glanced down at the tablecloth only to discover his napkin was gone.

As he looked around on the tabletop, I tried to assist by mentioning, "It fell on—"

"On my lap?" Nekozawa held up his wrinkled napkin with an amused close-lipped smile. "I know." I smiled back at him, and the maitre d' approached our table with a circular tray; on it was a tall, thin glass of ice water with a lemon hanging on the lip of the glass.

Placing the tall drink of water on the table before me, the waiter queried, "Are you ready to order or would you like a few more moments to review the menu?"

Oh yeah… "A few more minutes please," I requested, opening my forgotten menu. My eyes skimmed over fancy entry titles and the elegant descriptions. "What are you having, Nekozawa?"

"Nothing…"

Taken aback, I lifted my head. "Nothing?" I repeated. "Why nothing?" _'It makes no sense that you would invite me to a pricey restaurant and then choose not to eat…'_

"My stomach has been sensitive lately," he mumbled. Nekozawa continued toying with the napkin, folding it.

"Oh…Mmmm…" I gleaned over the menu once more, and when the waiter returned, I chose yakitori and kare raisu.

The conversation did not get revived while my order was being cooked in the kitchen; and during the silence, Nekozawa finished his crane, and then, unfolding his napkin, created a rose, then a star, and he was working on another design when my meal arrived. Before taking the first bite of my rice curry, I told Nekozawa he was welcome to eat the grilled chicken kabobs if he got hungry. He politely declined my offer and I focused my attention on my meal. Out of pure nerves, I ate the entire rice dish, drank two full glasses of water, and was working on emptying a third. Conversely, Nekozawa hardly touched his drink, making me feel like a fatty. The yakitori was boxed, and after some debate, Nekozawa ended up paying the bill.

It was when we both stepped out of The Montego Court around nine o'clock that the uncomfortable atmosphere returned. During the meal we both had been avoiding conversation but now that we were about to go our separate ways, courtesy demanded that we at least exchange good-byes.

Nekozawa and I faced each other outside the high-end restaurant, waiting for the other to break the ice.

"Goodbye, Alexis," the blonde-haired man whispered first, and in his black tuxedo, with that tender expression on his face, he truly did resemble a prince.

I offered a weak smile. "Bye, Prince Charming," I tried to joke. Nekozawa's cheeks turned pink.

Neither of us moved, and we continued staring at each other with strained smiles.

_'Okay…What do I do now?'_ I wondered frantically. _'Should I leave first? Does he want something like a hug or a quick kiss? Should I let him? Is he going to initiate it or is he waiting for me to?'_

"Jergens-san, I believe you might have forgotten something," called a female voice and my head turned toward The Montego Court's entrance. A female waitress with black wavy hair had her head tilted outside the glass door.

Thank you random waitress!

"I'll go see what it is," I told Nekozawa skittishly, pointing toward the door before ambling over. She led me away from the tables, led me upstairs, and brought me into a small office-like room. When the waitress shut the door, I was completely clueless about I had left behind.

"What did I forget?" I asked curiously, wondering what I'd carelessly forgotten. My mind drew up multiple blanks.

The waitress's dark mauve eyes lowered and she shook her head, biting her bottom lip. Strangely, she wasn't offering an explanation or making her way toward the desk to retrieve anything; instead, the black-haired waitress was leaning her back against the wooden office door like it was a support. Did she know I was a psychologist and needed help? Did my reputation really stretch that far?

When she looked up, the waitress had tears in her purple eyes. "Can you forgive me, Alexis?"

I blinked. "Huh?" Of all the things I had been expecting, a plea for forgiveness hadn't been one of them… "Forgive your for what?"

"For nine years ago," she said quietly.

_'Nine years ago? Nine years ago...What happened nine-oh.'_ My eyebrows shot up as I put two and two together, and I felt my mouth flap a couple times before I managed to blurt out, "_You_ were at the party?"

The waitress nodded, shame-faced and words began tumbling out of her mouth, "Please forgive for what I did you during that Christmas party nine years ago! I've never been able to forget your expression—the way you looked so broken when Nekozawa-sempai cursed you and fled. It looked like someone had snuffed out your soul, and I knew that I had done it…I wanted to apologize but you don't understand how hard it was or how difficult it is now, Jergens-san.

"I was born into a prestigious, wealthy family, and you're...you're just a poor commoner who migrated here from America. Back then, I was incredibly jealous that you managed to capture Kyouya's attention but I feel so wretched, especially after watching you two in the restaurant tonight…" Medusa trailed off, blinking away tears.

During her monologue, she had crossed the room and was now _on her knees_ before me, _crying_.

She looked up at me with a pleading expression. "Can you find the will in your heart to ever forgive me?" Her hands, resting on her thighs, were curled into tight fists; her hands were white and shaking.

Could I?

Could I really forgive her for the hell she had put me through my high school years? Could I honestly excuse her envy, her attempts to kick me out of Ouran, her successful scheme to divide Nekozawa and I?

Despite my bitterness toward Medusa, it was difficult not to pity her. She was kneeling before me in tears! I would have to be truly coldhearted not to feel an ounce of compassion toward her…I could forgive her with time, I guess. I mean, being angry toward her would only make me a bitter, angry person…and no one likes hanging around a bitter person.

"I-I guess," I stammered, dazed. This entire night felt like a very weird dream. "I mean, I'll try but it might take some reckoning and self-reflection." And lots and lots of therapy, but forgiveness doesn't exactly happen overnight when you've been hurting for nine years. It would take time.

Medusa visibly sagged with relief and actually started crying again, this time out of joy. Standing, she smiled a little. "Thank you, Alexis-san." Medusa—I call her this now because I can't recall her real name—wiped her watering mauve eyes with her palm and sighed, her grateful smile fading. "Now to apologize to Nekozawa-san…"

A fist rapped impatiently on the door. "Suzuki-san, there's a concerned young man here who's asking about a lady you brought back into the restaurant. Is Alexis Jergens in there with you?"

Medusa cleared her throat. "Yes, Kimura-san. Jergens-san forgot something but she claims that it is Nekozawa-san's. I'm afraid it involves sensitive information. Please send him in to reclaim it."

The office door swung open, revealing a tan, lean, black-haired man; he shot Suzuki-san a grouchy glower as Nekozawa tentatively entered the room, a distrustful frown on his face. His light blue eyes studied my face, but what he saw in my expression, I have no idea. My mind was still reeling from Medusa's confession and her apology. Turning my head, my gray eyes met with Suzuki's dark mauve ones, and judging from her haunted expression, something told me that I didn't want to stay when Medusa explained her side of the Christmas story nine years ago. I had a feeling things would get very ugly.

I took a quick glimpse at Nekozawa, feeling a stab of old pain in my chest. How would he react when Medusa told him that he had been set up? I sure as hell wasn't sticking around to find out...

"Bye," I said quietly as I passed him to leave the office. I kept my head down as I power-walked past Kimura-san and hurried to my car.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

The next day, I distracted myself with patients.

I needed a sense of normalcy after the previous night. In fact, calling a therapist was on my list after this next and final patient of the day (after actually _finding_ a psychologist who would be willing to schedule an appointment and listen to a fellow shrink). My fingers drummed on the arm chair as my gray eyes focused on the digital clock.

_'I guess the guy's running a little late,'_ I mused, looking at the shut office door and back at the digital clock. _'I'm feeling patient today…He has half an hour before he has to reschedule.' _Personally, I wasn't gleefully anticipating calling therapists or dialing others' numbers because they refused to see me.

It's difficult to work with a patient who knows the tricks of the trade. They try to predict what you're going to say or have them do and end up barking up the wrong tree sometimes. If they are right, they'll be pleased with themselves or wonder why they bothered coming. Believe me when I say it's frustrating.

A quick peek at the clock revealed that only two minutes had passed. Why had time slowed down for this tardy person?

I checked my phone. No text messages, no calls, no nothing. Another glimpse at the clock—still the same time as before. I sighed...

_'I wonder how Nekozawa reacted to Medusa's—no, Suzuki's confession about her motives nine years ago on that fateful Christmas day…Nekozawa seemed concerned when he came into that office last night. I guess he really does care for me, or at least about me. Or maybe he was just doing the gentleman-ly thing and checking up on me. Hell, I don't know anymore…'_

"Kirimi did say he said that he loved me," I mumbled aloud to myself. "But that was in his sleep. And the incident when I was feigning sleep…"

_'Damn…I can deny it as much as I want, but that doesn't change the fact he does feel something along the lines of romance. I guess the real question is what do I feel toward him?'_

I sat there, staring at the floor blankly. What did I feel toward the shy, handsome blonde? As I forced my thoughts to focus on Umehito Nekozawa, I stared off into the space trying to identify the rush of emotions that ambushed me.

The first I could label was pain and lots of it. One could say my heart still oozed blood from the nine-year-old verbal knife wound and it wouldn't have surprised me. Umehito Nekozawa and I—we had been close and, in a fit of jealousy, he had effectively burned a bridge between us, leaving a gaping black chasm.

Now, nine years later, we were standing on opposite sides of the abyss and wondering how the hell we would fill it or build another bridge. Maybe we were questioning whether we wanted to build another…

After some struggle, staring at the carpet, and wrinkling my brow, I found names for the next two emotions in the tangled mess—fondness and longing for our relationship before the Christmas party…like the way he had looked at me during the Christmas party while _Wonderful Christmastime_ played. Or our dance lessons and the times I'd stepped on his poor feet. Or the time we snuck out onto a balcony at the Nekozawa mansion at night and lay on a blanket, staring at the full moon and joking about moon-tanning, mimicking people who sun-tanned. Or how supportive Umehito had been when Kyouya and I were giving each other the silent treatment. Or, if I was having trouble with my Japanese, how I could go to him and ask for help.

I wished for those simple moments of interaction.

I missed the thrill of getting to know him and the uncertainty as he got to know me, the times where I could be me and was accepted for who I was. I could bring out portions of my personality that I didn't show around my parents, the Host Club, or acquaintances.

I wanted to be able to gently flick his nose and tease him like I used to. Or snatch his black-green wig from his head and stay just out of reach, encouraging him to chase me (when I wasn't giggling). Or when he let me hold Bereznoff. Or when he leaned in close and whispered thank you to me, his baby blue eyes rendering me speechless—

_'No! No! Not going there!'_ I hastily steered my mind away from the gutter, blushing. My inner romantic and my inner pervert also longed for Ume-erm, Nekozawa, if only to torment me with blackmail material and keep me up past the wee hours of the night.

To distract myself from a soppy, dirty fantasy courtesy of the Inner Mind Theatre, I glimpsed at the clock and, surprisingly, thirteen minutes had gone by. Fifteen minutes before I locked the doors and began making phone calls. Fifteen…_long_ minutes.

Sighing, I continued trying to untangle the emotional knots surrounding my would-be Romeo. Old pain, fondness for memories, and longing for the past…then there was attraction, as much as it scared me. I didn't want a repeat of the Incident at Christmas party…Fear—it was as prominent as the pain.

_'Only a fool wouldn't be afraid of love,'_ I told myself. _'At one point or another, you have to wonder if the risk is worth it, if the pros outweigh the cons, or wonder am I digging myself an emotional pit?' _And so I spent—wasted, actually—five minutes arguing with myself about giving Nekozawa a second chance or simply tucking my tail between my legs and fleeing until I realized how useless (and insane) it is to argue with yourself.

A confident rap on the door caught me off guard. Generally the tardy show up with five minutes or less to spare. This guy had ten minutes to spare—impressive.

The door opened and my assistant poked his head in. "D'you mind if I leave a little early, Lexi? My friends invited me over for a party."

I grinned. "Sure, Tobimaru. Go ahead. I'll lock up in ten." Screw what I said about impressive.

"See you Monday, boss," Tobimaru said happily as he shut the door, and I sighed, annoying myself with my unusual amount of sighing.

Stretching my legs, standing, I began the quick'n'easy process of prepping for tomorrow and locking file cabinets, drawers, and the like. The ten minutes passed, the patient never showed or called, and after at least an hour of fruitless calls to fellow psychologists, I left the office up to my ears in frustration.

* * *

_Provided by Japan-Guide .com:_

*Yakitori: skewered grilled chicken

*Kare Raisu (Curry Rice): cooked rice with curry sauce


	21. Happily Ever After?

"Nekozawa?" I regretted not checking who was on the other side of the door before opening it, but too late now.

"Alexis, I…" He paused as he noticed my pajamas—a red tank top and Garfield boxers. My lips couldn't help but curl upward as Nekozawa stammered an apology for waking me up.

Did I mention it was eight eleven in the morning?

The prince of darkness kept his blue eyes glued to my face, the embarrassed blush on his cheeks blotching his pale complexion. "D-Do you want me to come back later?" he asked, composing himself. Unlike me, Nekozawa had dressed in a black suit, wore his greenish-black wig, and held an umbrella over his head to shield himself from the wicked sun's rays.

I rubbed one eyelid sleepily. "Nah. You already woke me up so why not tell me now. You and I both know it's almost impossible for me to get back to sleep after I've woken up." Tiredly leaning against the doorframe, I blinked owlishly at him. "So?"

"May I come in?"

"Oh…yeah. Sorry about blocking the door." I pushed the front door open, wiped the sleep out of my other eye, and retreated into the house to allow my guest in. "My manners haven't woken up yet."

Stepping inside my apartment, Nekozawa politely shut the door behind him and made his umbrella shrink, collapsing it back to a reasonable size. This was horribly embarrassing—almost like a nightmare come true. Opening the door in my pajamas, only to find it was my high school best friend, the one who had romantic feelings toward me… My cheeks were _definitely_ burning with a steady glow.

Ugh, it was too early in the day for this.

"Suzuki-san told me…she confessed about her role nine years ago at that fateful Christmas party," Nekozawa stated quietly, watching me.

Being the slow person I am in the morning, it took me a good few minutes to fire up my brain and recall whatever Nekozawa was referring to. Suzuki-san? Who was that? Then, with snippets of conversation and short flashbacks, my memory slowly reminded me—the date the Montego Court, Medusa asking for forgiveness, the strange expression on Nekozawa's face as I hurriedly left the office…two days ago.

"Yeah…I already knew she would tell you," I admitted to him, my gray eyes alternating between staring at the chilly tile floor and peeking up at Nekozawa. "I figured out what she'd done during the Christmas break that year."

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was soft, hurt, pleading.

I smiled bitterly, lifting my head. "Would you have believed me?" Judging by the way his eyes guiltily dropped and how his body seemed to sag with defeat, we both knew he wouldn't have. Not nine years ago.

"She did a good job setting us up," Nekozawa said with his own little sardonic smile, "and like a fool, I overreacted without confronting you or investigating." Turning his back toward me, he shut the blinds and closed the curtains I'd opened less than five minutes ago. "You have no idea what a blow it was to hear her confess…On that night you learned about your parent's divorce, I agreed not to abandon you and yet I did. 'At the first test of honor, I betrayed your trust.'" He added the last part as if speaking to himself, scolding.

I recognized the quote from the movie Kirimi and I had watched not too long ago. _Ever After_. However, the line was out of context. Before that the prince had said, _"Actually I came to beg your forgiveness. I offered you the world and at the first test of honor, I betrayed your trust. Please, Danielle…" _Was Nekozawa implying something similar? Would this ugly silent treatment have a happy ending?

"It was hard not talking to you," I admitted since it felt like confession time. "I didn't realize how important you were until you dashed out of that room. Because we went to the same school and I knew your schedule, I was _so_ tempted to talk to you but I was afraid you would reject me again."

"I felt the same but…Where does that leave us now?" Nekozawa asked, and we both stared at each other uncertainly without an answer.

I chewed on my bottom lip. "We could be friends. Rebuild what we lost."

"I can accept that." Umehito Nekozawa smiled then, a sincere and relieved close-lipped smile. "Kirimi, Shintaro and I are going to the theatre tonight. Would you like to come?"

The invitation made me smile. "Yeah. What movie?"

He shrugged his thin shoulders. "We haven't decided but maybe you can help us choose when we pick you up at five." Opening my door with a quiet hiss as the morning light fell upon his exposed skin, Nekozawa opened his dark umbrella and strode out of sight, making his dramatic exit.

As I shut my front door, I couldn't help but wonder if Tamaki had been involved behind the scenes.

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**Epilogue:**

_The spring of next year…_

Standing beside Kanazuki, I beamed as Ranka and Haruhi walked down the rose-petal-strewn aisle. A quick glimpse at the altar showed me that Tamaki had only eyes for Haruhi. Surprisingly, the King wasn't fidgeting nervously, hyperventilating, or acting obnoxiously happy; instead, he stared at his soon-to-be wife with a happy, dazed expression. Haruhi, on the other hand, seemed nervous and happy, blushing whenever she looked up at Tamaki. Her father, dressed as a woman, patted her arm, blinking away tears.

With a slight resentful scowl sent toward Tamaki, Ranka gave Haruhi's arm to his soon-to-be son-in-law. The glower warned Suoh to take care of his daughter or else. Tamaki gave a slight nod to express his gratitude. Ranka's scowl transitioned to a wistful glance at his only daughter, the one who was leaving him for another man. He seemed torn between happiness and sadness.

The minister began his speech. It was kept short and sweet. Tamaki had never been a patient man, and Haruhi didn't like to waste time.

Everyone applauded, whistled, or clapped when they kissed. Many took pictures. Ranka cried. The other members of the Host Club cheered. Fangirls wept. Other students, friends and strangers alike, wished them well. I myself had to blink away happy tears, my cheeks aching from smiling too hard.

The wedding reception was even better.

It took place at Ouran in the Third Music Room, and when I stepped inside, it felt like time had graciously returned to the past when we had been in our teens. Of course, people took advantage of this fact during the toasts. Memories, jokes, and tears filled the room.

I smiled to myself, amused, as I watched Tamaki try to feed Haruhi a forkful of the wedding cake; however, Haruhi evaded the fork, leaning forwards and backwards and sideways to avoid it, protesting to being fed like a baby. Tamaki pleaded with her, and after a few minutes of consideration, Haruhi grudgingly ate the cake from her husband's fork. Tamaki smiled.

'_Maybe that'll be me one day,'_ I mused optimistically. _'Maybe one day, I'll walk down the aisle to stand beside the man I love.' _Nekozawa rested his hand on top of mine, his fingertips brushing my palm, distracting me. As a result, I missed Haruhi smear frosting on Tamaki's face.

"Hmm?" I raised my eyebrows slightly, questioning.

"You look beautiful today," Umehito said quietly, smiling, and I found that his baby blue eyes had an unusually strong magnetic effect on my stare. The white suit and baby blue vest enhanced the color of his eyes.

I smiled back, and after a moment of hesitation, I stroked the back of his hand with my thumb. "You don't look half bad yourself, Prince Charming," I teased, my heart beating a little faster when he flushed.

"I'm hardly charming," he protested, trying to frown or scowl but when Umehito was embarrassed, it was difficult, if not impossible, for him to glower. He looked cute when he tried.

I immediately detected what he had ignored. "So you admit you're a prince."

"Kirimi was right about that," Umehito admitted, lifting my hand. Shifting his hold, he raised my hand to his lips and slowly brushed his lips against my knuckles before kissing each one. His blue eyes hadn't left my face once. What emotion was making his eyes gleam like that?

Caught off guard by the sudden role reversal in our teasing, I'm afraid I actually blushed like a schoolgirl and found that all my wit had abandoned me. "You've really changed in nine years," was the first intelligible thing that tumbled out of my mouth. Even then, my voice was pitched a little higher than normal.

"So have you," Umehito pointed out softly, amused. I stuck out my tongue at him.

Maybe…just maybe that 'one day' wasn't as far away as I thought…

_**Fin**_

* * *

**_AN: _**if you didn't figure it out before, the last patient Alexis was waiting on was Nekozawa, who chickened out. Btw, I forgot to mention this in the story and kinda didn't have room for it in the flow, but Nekozawa removed the curse on Alexis. He gave the curse to her out of ill will, but revoked it when he fully understood the situation (think of the curse as a grudge).


	22. Omake: The Curse

Kanazuki pressed down on my shoulders, urging me to sit in the middle of an elaborate magical circle made of chalk. "Sit here, Alexis-chan, and don't move. If you smudge the chalk, there may be dire consequences."

I reluctantly obeyed but couldn't resist saying, "I feel stupid."

Nekozawa had shown up at my apartment without warning, dragged me to Hunny and Kanazuki's house, and then pulled a Houdini on everyone. None of the other Black Magic members, Hunny or I could find him in the mansion. However, oddly enough, we did find Kirimi. Hunny had been sent away to take care of little Yami, and the Black Magic club had ganged up on me—stealing my shoes, stuffing me in a black and purple Renaissance-esque gown, and painting weird symbols on my face and palms in chicken blood. Now I was being told to sit in a chalk circle in the middle of an open, grassy field in the dead of the night.

From outside the circle, Shintaro rolled his emerald-green eyes. "What you're feeling is discomfort."

Kirimi kicked his shin. "Be nice to Lexi-chan."

He gave her the evil eye. "I don't do nice, kid." That said, he knelt down and placed a white taper candle on the edge of the circle.

Why the grouchy red-head was here was a mystery to me, but I guessed it had to do with Nekozawa. Although Shintaro was less than fond of me, he seemed to be willing to pluck the moon from the heavens if his President asked it of him. They were probably really close friends.

My staring at the red-head was interrupted when Kanazuki approached me with a steaming mug. Dressed in a black hooded cape and a simple black dress, the Princess of Curses looked beautiful and mysterious, almost ethereal. "Here," she said, "Drink this." She held out a cup of tea.

I accepted it gratefully and immediately took a sip. It tasted a little funky, but the warmth of the tea itself was soothing. Tonight was a pretty chilly spring night. "Thanks."

After I had sucked down the slightly odd-tasting tea, Kanazuki kindly informed me, "The tea contains a small dose of a hallucinogen. The drug is necessary to allow the spirits more control over you to purge the curse from your body. Please do not panic if you see things."

"Thanks," I repeated, but more dryly this time. Pursing my lips, I avoided eye contact as I handed her the empty mug. She quietly left the chalk circle without an apology, and I felt a little nauseous in addition to feeling stupid.

Great, just great. I had been _drugged_.

I almost wanted to stay cursed.

Casting curses on other people didn't seem to require much preparation or ceremony—just nasty words or a grudge—but _removing_ curses was a whole 'nother ball of wax. In a word, it was complicated. There were conditions, certain ingredients or times of day required, and the presence of a curse-caster of equal or higher level to the original curse-caster was a must…Kanazuki had explained the processes of both to me in great detail, but my mind had been blown away. Who knew curses were so complex?

Shintaro's voice interrupted my pessimistic musings. "Preparations are finished, Princess," he told Kanazuki.

She nodded. "Now we wait."

_'Wait for witching hour or for the hallucinogen to kick in?'_ I wondered wryly, kneeling in the cold, dewy grass. A cool breeze snuck up behind me, and I shivered. There wasn't much I could do as I waited. Moving or stretching might smudge the chalk, and itching or scratching might ruin the dried chicken blood symbols on my body. But like a good little girl, I sat there as my legs slowly lost feeling from the knees down and went numb.

To occupy the time, I stared at the cluster of hooded black-robed figures grouped together outside of the circle and they stared back. Kanazuki, Shintaro, Kirimi, Kadomatsu, Kuretake and four others…All nine of them—eight tall and one small. They looked like they had been summoned out of _The Lord of the Rings_—the Ringwraiths, the Nine.

_'Nine there were…'_

My eyes widened slightly as I continued to stare at them. Nine—three times three. Three was a magical number, but nine was more powerful, supposedly symbolizing divine perfection. Standing in the moonlight, they made divine robed statues. Suddenly noting the brightness of the moon, I tilted back my head and squinted at the full moon.

A full moon, nine robed figures, the magical circle, a sacrificed chicken, me pained in its blood, and the chains…My mouth tilted down into a frown and my brow furrowed.

When had those gotten there?

Looking down, I stared at the manacles snapped around my wrists. The metal seemed to glow in the moonlight, and something was branded onto the backs of the manacles—the insignia of a cat.

Bereznoff, I realized.

Curious, I tried to lift my arm but found it wouldn't budge. The metal shackle was too heavy, and there were more—on my ankles and around my neck. They were all so _heavy_, especially the neck manacle. It had at least a dozen separate chains that linked from the metal collar to each of the lit white taper candles. As time crept by, the metal felt heavier and heavier as if gravity was pulling extra hard on the manacles chaining me to the field. It was so difficult to sit up straight…so much effort.

Was this the true weight of the Nekozawa ancestry?

A voice—a female voice—distracted me. "Hold on, Alexis-chan. Don't give in." Kanazuki-chan? I swear I heard her chanting in the background but the other voices—a chorus—were starting to drown out her voice. Were these the voices of the dead ancestors? I focused on them.

_"—per essere emesso. Nessuno può emendarsi dal peccato che scorre nelle vene,"_ they sang in a beautiful foreign language. Their voices were beautiful but their tone was condemning. What were they saying? Those lofty, beautiful voices with an undertone of anger… _"Uminari no shirabe ni kurokumo wa sora e tusdou. Arashi wo yobu kaze wa takaraka ni."_

I winced as the heavy manacles momentarily flared with a supernatural heat before cooling.

Kanazuki and the otherworldly voices continued chanting in their foreign tongues, battling each other I guessed.

Sometimes I wanted to clamp my hands over my ears. At times the ghostly voices were raised, loud wailing in my ears. Other times Kanazki's calm, steady voice dominated. Between the chanting and the occasional powerful bursts of icy wind, it was a pretty frightening and awe-inspiring scene to watch and listen to. I briefly wondered if the other Black Magic Club members could see what was happening. That train of thought was interrupted as the manacles began to glow. By glow, I mean more brightly than they were before but they weren't hot. Just aglow. The voices of Nekozawa's ancestors slowly faded away as Kanazuki's voice grew stronger; little cracks and chinks formed on the white-hot shackles and chains. To my silent amazement, they began to dissolve into liquid light and dripped _upward_, vanishing.

Looking up, I made eye contact with Kanazuki, who had stopped chanting.

"It is finished," we both stated in sync at the same time using the same tone.

I blinked, breaking the connection we had and looked down at my wrists again. The shackles and chains were really gone. Without them weighing me down, I felt incredibly light, so light that I was afraid that if I stood up too quickly, the sky would suck me up into space. I smiled, feeling a rush of adrenaline and fear. Gravity had no power over me.

"Soul snatcher." I glanced at Shintaro. "What are you doing?"

I blinked. What _was_ I doing?

Looking down, I found that I was standing and couldn't remember standing up.

Had I floated to my feet?

It was possible. I still felt so weightless that if I jumped, I could fly if I wanted. This feeling—it was wonderful. I wanted to make the most of it before it went away, and I knew it would. Gravity didn't like having no power over me. It would fight for that power, but in the meantime, I was _free_!

In the distance, I could hear a faint but sweet-sounding violin beckoning.

Lifting the hem of the old-fashioned purple and black dress from the grass, I delicately ran through the circle on my tiptoes. So much fun avoiding the chalk! With a grin, I leapt over a candlestick like Jack the nimble and quick, but I didn't stop there. I kept running.

Over my shoulder, I called out, "I'm going to dance among the stars!"

I missed the looks the Black Magic Club members exchanged.

* * *

**AN:** Since it was brought to my attention earlier that I hadn't included the removal of the curse, I decided to make it an omake because it seemed like fun and because I've been reading too many _Labyrinth_ fanfics. This takes place in the spring, not long after winter but before Haruhi and Tamaki's wedding.

**Disclaimer:** _Katayoku no Tori_ (One-Winged Bird) from Umineko no Naku Koro Ni was the song the Nekozawa ancestors sang (it's been stuck in my head); _Lord of the Rings_ and the Nazgul are not owned by me; the whole chains melting thing was taken from _Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust_ (the movie); finally, the violin song Alexis is hearing in her head is Lindsey Stirling's _Crystallize_ (which has also been stuck in my head).


End file.
